


I Miss You By My Side

by LadyGhoost



Series: To us, the world is different [4]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Amnesia, Arkham, Being Lost, Dark, Drugs, F/F, F/M, Family, Family Issues, Fighting, Friendship, Gotham, Kidnapping, Love, M/M, Problems, Rape, Riddles, Sex, Violence, War, power
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-03-04 00:50:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13353015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyGhoost/pseuds/LadyGhoost
Summary: When Edward disappears, Oswald tries to desperately to find him. But doesn't manage. Oswald seek help from an old friend, Cara. She get's back to Gotham after two years, and she does what ever she can to find Edward again, with the help from old friends. But the search for Edward leads them down a road none of them had thought off. And what have happened to Edward?





	1. Ed Is Gone!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello *waves shyly* I am Lady Ghost.
> 
> This is my first story in the world of Gotham (with a few changed parts). It's the fourth part in the story of Cara, but you don't have to read any of the others, for this to make sense. But if you read it for Cara's sake, I will warn you and tell you that this is a bit different. Cara isn't the main character here. Oswald and Edward are the main focus, it doesn't mean that Cara won't have a part in the story, but I am just warning you that this is a bit different.
> 
> This story take place after the one about Cara and Loki, and Gotham was the world Cara was in before Thor "kidnaped" her. And you will get flashbacks from how it all started, but I will not write a story about what happened at the beginning. I can tell you that Cara enter the world of Gotham around season 1, and she leaves the world around season 2. So the things that happens in season 3 and parts of the 4th, she isn't there. And this story takes part after that. Something's has happened as it does in the show, but not everything. You will most likely notice what has happened and not. I can tell you that Gordon and Lee are together, and the whole splitting up thing, never happened!
> 
> I wanted to have Harley Quinn in the story, and not as Barbara, she is more based on the tv-show/ comic character, just letting you know. The Joker is more like the comic version, so he is not Jerome! See them as two different characters!
> 
> As always, English isn't my first language, so I do apologise for any grammatical and spelling misstake.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this story :)

* * *

 

Oswald looked down at his kingdom, the dark gloomy streets of Gotham, he was once again at the top, where he belonged. He had raised and felt more than once, and in the end people recognised who he was, he was the king, the king of Gotham, and no one doubt it anymore. And every king had a queen by his side, and his queen was Edward Nygma. The most brilliant man he had ever known, and one of the few people who saw him for who he really was, and understood him. That was just one problem with that picture, his queen was missing.

"I want him find!" Oswald suddenly shouted as he turned around to face those who were gathered around him. Most of them jumped, not knowing what their king may do, now when his queen was gone. Okay, Oswald needed a new title for Ed, knowing he would not appreciate to be called a queen, but that was a matter for another time.  
"We have searched everywhere boss" Gabe said, and Oswald turned towards him. The man wasn't named Gabe, but he reminded him of that traitor's behaviour, so Oswald had named him Gabe two. And also called him Gabe, as an reminder of that anyone can betray you, at any time.  
"Then search everywhere again!" he ordered. "Turn down every building if you have too, just find him!"  
"Yes boss" Gabe answered as most of them men cleared out the room.  
"Butch!" Oswald said and the larger man stepped forward. "Turn upside down on every parasite in this town, someone knows where Ed is! Take Tabitha to help if you need"  
"Will do" Butch smiled as he looked at Tabitha, who didn't answer, she only followed Butch as he left the room.

"Here Pengy" Ivy placed a cup of something on the table.  
"My name is not Pengy" he shouted and threw the cup of the table.  
"Hey!" Ivy said, very unpleased with his behaviour.  
"I can take it from here" a voice sounded from the dark, making the people still left in the room, to turn in that direction, raising their guns.  
"Who the hell are you?" Selina asked, as an unfamiliar woman walked up towards them, not bother by the fact that she had guns pointed at her.  
"Cara" Oswald shouted and walked passed them all, and to everyone's surprise, hugged the woman. No one, except Edward got to hug Oswald, and here he was, willingly, hugging a stranger to them all, and she hugged him back. "Ed is gone"  
"I got your message" she answered him in a low voice. Oswald let his head rest against her shoulder, feeling some sort of security, or maybe even hope, now that she was here. "But I think you may own your friends here an explanation."

Oswald turned around, seeing how the people left in the room, was looking at him.  
"Everyone this is Cara, she's an old friend" he explained "Cara, this is everyone"  
"Nice to meet you" she waved at them.  
"Lower your guns!" Oswald shouted, when none of them had done so. "She is here to help us find Ed!"  
"How do you know her?" Selina stepped forward, studying the Cara, who didn't react to it at all.  
"We used to be lovers" Cara answered, which made all of them drop their chins, before Cara started to laugh. "That was a merely a joke, but good to know what you think about that. I befriended Edward when I first got to Gotham, years ago. And if you are friends with Ed, you become friends with Oswald"  
"Thank god it was a joke" Barbara was relived, but those words made Oswald give her a cold look. "What? We have had enough problems with you and Nygma"  
"Problems?" Cara asked, and Oswald met her eyes. He was far from sure how she should react, when she heard his and Ed's story.  
"We have some catching up to do. You have been gone for two years after all" Oswald signed for her to step further into the room.  
"Sounds like it" Cara admitted and stepped out of the darkness completely. The others got a look at her for the first time. She was a tall, pale, blonde and a very beautiful woman, around her thirty.  
"Get us something to drink" Oswald instructed one of the staff members, before he turned towards Cara. "I shall start from the time you left."

* * *

 

"And I thought I had my hands full" she said towards Oswald when he went silent. Oswald had told her the story about everything since the time she left them. How he had become mayor, how he realised he loved Ed, Isabella's involvement, his and Ed's intention to kill each other, how the dispute went on for almost a year, until they found each other once more. How they had fallen in love, and how Edward had ruled Gotham beside him, and how he now was gone. And Cara had listened, only interrupted him when she had a question, and from what he could tell, she did not judge him for his actions towards Ed. Something he had been alarmed that she may do, being Ed's friend to start with. But to his surprise she had been more understanding then he thought she would.

"I need your help finding him" Oswald looked at her and she took his hands.  
"We will find him, and when we do, the ones who took him will pay" Oswald knew that the ones who took Ed would pay more than well. Cara was protective of her friends; he had seen what she had done to people who mistreated Ed in the past.

"Thank you"  
"What aren't friends for, if not turning a city upside down, and killing people who gets in your way?" she asked with a light tone.  
"Yes what aren't friends for, if not that?" Oswald said, feeling a small smile on his lips, the first one in days. Since Edward had disappeared he hadn't been able to smile, relax or stop worry, but the woman in front of him, made him do all three. It was like something told him it would be alright, now when she was here. Someone who may not know Cara, may say it was a ridicules idea, even impossible. But Oswald knew the blonde before him, and he knew that Ed would be found, with her help.

"How rude of me, I haven't asked what you have been up to. All well I hope?" Oswald looked at her, and Cara gave him a relaxed smile.  
"Do to the circumstances, I give you a pass. And not much. I saved an old partner of mine from his torturing, sexual abusive, god, to father. Reunited him with his children, gave him back his family, got married to him, and got two children at the process. You know, normal stuff"  
"For you it may be just that, normal" Oswald said in a light voice. The others, who were sitting at the bar, didn't understood the woman's words, or how Oswald could see it as normal. Normally not liking people who avoided giving him an answer.  
"We can talk more about that another time. As for now, we need to find Edward" Cara stood up, and Oswald did the same. "But you dear friend need to sleep first"  
"You… are you telling me to sleep? Now? When Edward are still missing?" Oswald couldn't help himself from sounding surprised.  
"I am. You are to no help if you haven't slept. And when we found Edward, my guess is that you prefer to be awake."  
"I am fine here, thank you very much" Oswald insisted, and Cara raised an eyebrow.  
"We can do this the easy way, where you go to bed on your own. Or we do it the more annoying way, where I knock you out, and need to carry you to bed" Oswald gave her a daring look, and she smiled a cocky smile. "Don't test me Oswald, we both know how it will end"  
Oswald was more than aware that she would have no problem on knocking him out, that didn't change the fact that he liked to take orders.  
"You are lucky that we are friends" Oswald said and Cara nodded.  
"That I am, and that's also why I care about your health. Go to bed now, and I will try to find something about Ed's whereabouts" Oswald grabbed his cane as he left the room.

* * *

 

"Who the hell are you, lady?" Selina asked once more, stunned by the fact that the unfamiliar woman had managed to get Oswald to bed, something none of the others had been able to do.  
"I am an old friend" the woman gave them all a smile.  
"Do you have perfume that can control people too? Making them do what you ask for?" Ivy asked, almost in a hopeful way.  
"What? No" Cara looked surprised by the question, and that was understandable. "We are merely friends, Oswald knows I have his best in interest, and that I would be able to knock him out."  
"Whoever you are, thank you. He has been a pain the last couple of weeks. He has refused to go to bed, falling asleep at the table. He barely eats, and he is losing control over his kingdom again" Selina informed the stranger, guessing it wasn't something she would figure out, or already know, depending on how long she had been in Gotham.  
"Let's prevent that from happening" Cara looked at them. "I have some people I need to talk to, hopefully I can still do so. Two years are a long time to be gone"  
"I want to come" Selina stated and Barbara stepped up next to her, she wanted learn more about the blond stranger, who just had entered there life, and could order Oswald around, she could be useful, if she was played right.  
"Then let's go"

* * *

 

"Why are we here?" Barbara looked at the black door, laid number 30. Barbara had been here before, once or twice, and it wasn't pleasant. The apartment was placed in one of the highest buildings in town, since it was a penthouse it was the only one on the floor. Barbara had been surprised to see that the new woman knew the code to the building, but she had said she knew people back in the days, and it was a possibility that she knew who ever lived here back then.  
"Do you even know who this apartment belongs to?" Selina asked, looking at Barbara, both of them not to happy to be here.  
"I do, I own it" Cara answered as she was about to open the door.  
"You own it?" Barbara asked, not hiding her surprise. "Fine whatever, do you know who lives here now?"  
"Hopefully Harley" Cara looked at them, before she opened the door. The other two women were wondering what kind of person hoped to see Harley Quinn.

As they entered the apartment, it looked like it had done the last time Barbara was there. It was stuff everywhere, all from toys, to stolen goods, and weapons. Clothes were scattered all over the floor, together with makeup, and things Barbara preferred not to know what it was. She saw traces of dogs, especially muddy pawns all over the floor, and what had been a classy apartment once, now looked like a dump. Barbara turned to study the owner to see how she reacted, but Barbara forgot to look when she saw Harley's hyenas standing there, growling. The two animals slowly walked towards them, clearly not wanting them there. Selina tried to hide behind Barbara, more than unpleased to be near the dogs.  
"Hello, you have grown" Cara hunch down, and her voice seemed to trigger something at the hyenas, who suddenly rushed forward to the blonde, and started to lick her in the face. "I have missed you too"  
"Who's there?" Barbara looked up when the all too familiar voice of Harley Quinn sounded from above, standing on the second floor, looking down at them.  
"Hello Harley" Cara stood up, still patting the dogs, who was acting like angels, something neither of them had seen them do around anyone, except their owner. Without a sign or a sound, Harley jumped down at them, and tackled the blonde, Cara seemed to be prepare for it, and landed somewhat smoothly on the ground.  
"You left me! YOU LEFT ME! How could you? How dare you come back here?" Barbara couldn't remember a time she had seen Harley this angry, sitting on top of the other woman, holding her to the floor, screaming at her.  
"I have missed you too Harley" Cara answered as she broke free with ease, and sealed Harley's lips.

Barbara stared at them, and Selina only did the same.  
"What's going on?" Selina asked when Harley and Cara suddenly laughed, as they were standing up.  
"We are laughing silly" Harley told and Selina was about to say that wasn't what she meant, but not knowing what Harley may do, she stayed quiet.  
"Harley and I used to date" Cara explained, as Harley nodded, happily.  
"Why are you back? Not that I complain"  
"Are you sure? You pushed me down quite hard"  
"No I didn't, I saw you break the fall, don't lie to me" Harley laughed as she looked at Cara.  
"I tried to be nice, but fine, it wasn't that hard" Cara admitted, before she got serious. "Edward's missing, I need to find him."  
"Eddie's missing?" Neither Barbara or Selina expected to hear concern in Harley's voice.  
"He is, I need your help to find him!"  
"Of course Pumpkin" Harley cupped Cara's chin, and slowly stroked her lips. "What do you need"  
"From you? I need to find out if he is in Arkham" Cara told her honestly.  
"Don't think we already looked there?" Barbara asked, only to find Harley turning towards her.  
"Now you ruined the moment!" Harley went for her gun, but Cara grabbed her hand.  
"Let's not start killing each other" Barbara was on the brink to answer that Harley started it, very childish, but she couldn't help it. But the look Cara gave her, made her stay quiet. "Harley can you come up with a way for me to get into Arkham?"  
"I will come up with the best way!" Harley smiled a creepy smile and Cara rolled her eyes as a response.  
"Next, I will talk to the police"  
"Are you going to do everything we already has done?" Barbara asked, wondering why Penguin thought that this woman would find Ed, if she did what they already had done.  
"You haven't found Edward yet, so if I need to, I will do everything you already has done" Cara started to leave the apartment, when Harley jumped on her back, piggyback, and all Cara did was adjust her, so she could carry the other woman.  
"Bud, Lou, come" Harley looked at the dogs who walked after them.

* * *

 

"Hello Harvey" Harvey almost dropped his coffee, when a voice, coming from the shadows, talked to him.  
"Damn it woman! Are you trying to get me a heart attack?" he spouted as he turned around, to see a face he hadn't seen in years. "I should have known it was you Cara"  
"Guess you should have"  
"What are you even doing here? You disappear for two years, and then you just step out from the dark like that" Harvey studied her, only to find that she wasn't alone. "Great, you brought the freaky doctor, the cat and the crazy bitch"  
"Nice to see you too, Harvey" Barbara gave the least friendly smile she could towards the cop.

"Actually, I only brought the freaky doctor. The other two followed me from Oswald's place"  
"Fuck, this is about Nygma, I should have known" Harvey was far from pleased by that. For him, Nygma could die and he would not care at all. But Penguins rampage around town to find the idiotic killer had started to be a problem.  
"You know I always cared about Edward"  
"For reasons I will never understand. What do you want?"  
"Despite finding him. I want some files about him, Penguin and their enemies. And making sure the GCPD doesn't have him"  
"You think I would tell you if we did?" Harvey tried, but only got a smile from Cara.  
"Don't do that Harvey, I thought we were friends. I would hate to make a fuse about this, for both you, and Gordon" Cara looked up behind him "Hi Jim. I heard you are acting captain now, congratulations"

"Cara" Jim almost grunted when he saw her. He had far from missed her. She was the nicest of the villains they ever encountered, and technically she hadn't been convicted to anything, and Jim doubted they ever would be able to either. But it was something about her that was utterly creepy.  
"Ed?" he asked and she nodded. Jim should have known she would get involved in it. Even if she had disappeared for two years, for unknown reasons, something like this would make her come back.  
"I am just here to make sure you don't have him"  
"Oswald has already asked" Jim tried and Cara smiled towards him.  
"Both you and me know you have no problem lying for Oswald. So, just as I said to Harvey, make it easier for all of us, and let me make sure you don't have him. Trust me, you will not like to meet me, if I figure out you have lied to me"  
"Threating us?"  
"It's a friendly warning" Jim wasn't happy to hear how easy she said those words, and he wasn't sure what she could do to them, but he bet it was something good.  
"What will you do for us, if we help you" Harvey asked.  
"I will stop Oswald from tearing the city apart"  
"Will you tear it apart instead?" Jim met her ice blue eyes, feeling a shiver through his body.  
"If I wanted to do it, I would already have done it. No I want to have a city to live in. So can I get some help to find a missing friend detectives?"  
"That would be our pleasure ma'am" Harvey looked at her, but he soon got a cold look back.  
"Don't try to be cleaver Harvey"  
"They stay here!" Gordon pointed at the other three women and Cara looked at them.  
"That may be for the best"  
"But Pumpkin…" Harley started, but Cara placed a kiss on her lips.  
"Help me figure a way into Arkham, and I will soon be back"  
"Arkham?" Harvey asked and Cara turned towards him.  
"Pretend you didn't hear that, and if the alarm rings, take your time" Cara instructed them. Harvey met Jim's look, not liking the hearing of it. "I will not break anyone out. I will only look for Ed."  
Neither of the detectives answered her as they jumped inside the car, together with Cara, and drove towards the station.

* * *

 

"Cara?"  
"Hello Lee" the woman answered and turned her blue eyes towards her, with a small smile, before she returned towards the reports.  
"She's looking for Nygma" Harvey informed Lee, and she didn't know how to react at that fact. Lee was far from happy with Ed since he had framed Jim, but it was a dark city, and it was very few people she hoped to be out there, in trouble, Barbara was one of them.  
"Any leads?" Lee asked and Cara shook her head.  
"Not yet. I am going to Arkham after this. And if he isn't there either, well then I have a whole city to look through"  
"You told us you wouldn't tear it apart" Jim gave her a near schooling look, to which Cara smiled a mocking smile.  
"I am not tearing it apart, I am merely going to search it"  
"How have you been?" Lee asked and Cara blinked a few times at her.  
"I have been fine, a bit busy" she said and showed her the wedding ring.  
"Wow it's beautiful. Who's the lucky guy?"  
"Or girl? Does the person know about you and, Harley Quinn?" Harvey asked, kind of coldly.  
"It's a man, named Loki, and he is aware that I have others, thank you for your concern and judging Harvey"  
"Doing my job" Harvey sat down at his desk, placing his feet on it.  
"They have got a lot of enemies"  
"Penguin is the freaking king of Gotham, what did you expect. That freak has pissed of a lot of people. And Nygma isn't better"

"I hear anger from you Harvey" Cara only stated.  
"Damn right I am angry, he killed two cops, and tried to frame Jim!" Harvey spouted at her, and Cara looked up from the reports ones more.  
"I can understand your anger…" she started put Harvey grunted disagreeing "I have lost people too, and my husband was framed for murder, on some things, his own father's doing. But even if I understand it, it will not stop me from trying to find Ed, and if you stand in my way, understanding won't go far"  
"You should stop threating us" Jim said in a low voice, which didn't seem to bother Cara. Lee looked at the situation, feeling that it easily could get out of hand.  
"How about we leave Cara alone to read, and we go and eat something" Lee offered, and the detectives understood what Lee tried to do.  
"I promise not to take anything, and if I walk somewhere where I am not supposed to be, I am sure I will be stopped" Cara didn't look up from the papers this time.  
"Then it's settle. Come on boys, I am starving" Lee took Jim's hand, and walked out from the station, with Harvey after them.

* * *

 

The files were scattered all over the desk, files about Penguin, the Riddler, which was Edward's alias, a very fitting one, and their enemies. Despite the large number, Cara couldn't find anyone that dared to go against Oswald, at least no one that was free. It didn't eliminate the fact that it may be organized from an inmate, or that some of the villains had made a pact to target Oswald and Edward. Though none of them seemed to have the sources or the intellectual to pull even the smallest stunt towards the couple, but once again, it wasn't solid proof.

"Need any help?" a younger officer named Mark had spotted the woman, sitting at Gordon's old desk. A very good looking woman, and he would be a fool not to take the opportunity. The woman turned to face him, and he flashed her a smile.  
"I need to talk with officer Yarnes" Mark blinked a few times, disappointed to hear that, before the woman grabbed a paper. "It say here, that he was the last person to see Nygma"  
Mark studied the report, it stated that Yarnes has seen Nygma a few weeks ago. Mark only knew Nygma by name, he had not been stationed at the GCPD when Nygma had killed two police officers, and his girlfriend. And he didn't understand why the woman next to him wanted information about him.  
"Will you help me, or shall I do it on my own?"  
"I will help you" Mark finally said and went to get officer Yarnes.

* * *

 

"You want me to tell you about Nygma?" Yarnes didn't do any attempt on hiding his hate for the other man.  
"That would have been what I asked for" the woman said, with an almost as hateful smile on her lips.  
"Why?"  
"All you need to know, is that Captain Gordon has given me permission to look into Nygma's disappearing, and you are the one here, who saw him last"  
"Gordon said that?" Yarnes gave her a questioning look, as he seemed to think it over. "Can't tell you much. I saw him being carried by some men, into a truck. He seemed to be out of it, or maybe even dead. I didn't look closely"  
"Let's hope for your sake that he isn't dead." The woman placed a finger under Yarnes chin, and made him meet her eyes. "Did you know who the men were, and anything else you can tell me about the truck?"  
"I didn't know the men, but once again, I didn't look to closely. Same with the truck. But the street where I saw them snatch him, has a traffic camera."  
Mark nodded before the woman even asked, seeing no harm in helping her look at the cameras.  
"Follow me"  
"I hope for your sake, that he is still alive" the woman said to Yarnes, who swallowed loudly, without being able to stop himself, feeling it was something about the woman's words, who made him nervous. Yarnes nodded, being the only answer he could provide, before the woman left the room with Mark.

* * *

 

Mark stood behind the woman, as she looked at the screen placed on the table. They had been going through almost an hour of tape, fast fording through the parts that wasn't to their interest. Mark himself, felt restlessness, but the woman hadn't complained, barely moved or done anything else then just looking at the screen. It actually made Mark a bit impressed, seeing that it was a boring job.  
"Do you need something?" Mark asked as he was about to get some coffee.  
"I am fine" the woman said, without looking at him. Mark wondered why she was so set on finding Nygma, she had seen his files, and it was clear that he belonged to Penguin. Maybe she was a friend of Nygma, but then she was unknown to the files, because Mark was sure that he would have remembered her face. It was a possibility that Penguin had sent her, but from the look of it, she didn't look like a detective or some other scum Cobblepot normally hire. Her motive was for him, far from clear, as he poured himself a cup of coffee, and headed back to the woman.

When he re-entered the room, he saw that she had stop fast forwarding, and looking at the moment Nygma was carried into a truck.  
"You found it" Mark said, to which he only got a nodding as answerer, as the woman rewind the tape, for what he guessed wasn't the first time. Mark saw how a truck with a logo he wasn't familiar with, parked on the street. A few minutes later two, well-built men walked out from an alley, caring a clearly knocked out Nygma, between them. They opened the door, threw him in, and headed off, in the direction towards Arkham. He saw how the woman copied some parts of the tape, and printed them out. Mark leaned over her shoulder to study the photos.  
"Do you recognise the logo?" Mark shook his head as an answer. He couldn't remember ever seeing it before. "I need to visit the street"  
"This was weeks ago, what do you hope to find?" Mark was sceptical that it would be anything for her to find.  
"I will most likely not find anything, but I still want to visit the place, if not to see if I can figure out, why Ed was even there" The woman met his eyes, for the first time in a long time, and he shrugged his shoulder, he thought she wasted her time, but he could not stop her from going. And since she called Nygma Ed, they may be friends after all.  
"I can give you a ride, if you want?" Mark flashed her a smile, and she stood up, gave him a sweet smile, and for a second he felt hopeful.  
"You have been to great help, but I can find my own way"  
"That part of town isn't safe" Mark tried, and the woman laughed.  
"I am aware, and don't you worry, if something happen, I am sure that Harley will manage to keep it under control"  
"Harley? Harley Quinn?" Mark heard his own voice raise a few tonalities from the surprise. The woman only nodded, gave him a smile, before she collected her belongings and walked out from the station, leaving him puzzled, standing there.

* * *

 

Harley was sitting on the top of a car, watching her girlfriend walking around on the side walk.  
"Why are we here?" Harley looked at the young woman, calling herself cat woman. It was a strange name, Harley thought, and not for the first time. Identify yourself with a cat, that girl may have more problem then Harley herself.  
"This is where the last, known footage of Ed came from" Cara didn't take her eyes from the street. Harley watched fascinated, as she often founded herself doing. It was often the other woman did things that Harley didn't understood, but she still loved to see Cara work, surprising her over and over. Compared to Joker who far too often was displeased with her for not understanding, being in the way, asking or doing silly things, Cara never got angry at her. Harley was surprised over the patience the woman had with her, and how she even seemed pleased with Harley's action. Often feeling that Cara had picked up the pieces Joker broke, put them together and made her a better person, and that made her always wanting to help her when she could. As now, with finding Eddie.

Edward were a strange person, according to Harley, but it was Gotham, so who wasn't? But he had been a very sweet and fun person to be around, and he meant a lot to Cara, and Harley wanted to find him. Not only for her own sake, thinking of Eddie as a friend, but also to see Cara smile again.  
"He was here weeks ago!" Cat pointed out, and Harley got a feeling that she was getting bored. Barbara on the other hand, hadn't said a word since they got here. Harley watched them both, not trusting either of them. Selina, because she thought herself as a resemble as a cat, and Barbara because her reputation was almost as bad as Harley's self.  
"Want Bud and Lou to try to track him?" Harley ignored the young woman's complain, looking at the dogs, who seemed happy as soon as someone mentioned their name, before she looked at Cara.  
"Thank you for the offer Harley" Cara gave her a smile, a smile Harley answered with an own smile. "I know that the truck was headed for Arkham. But from the information I got, Ed most likely did not make it there. And if less time had passed, I had tried to track him that way"  
Harley nodded, understanding, even if she felt a bit disappointed that she couldn't do more, and it seemed like Bud and Lou felt the same.  
"It's alright boys" the dogs seemed happy, when Cara wasn't disappointed at them.

"So you are just going to stare at the concrete. News flash; there is nothing there!" Cat crossed her arms, looking angry at all of them. "Fine stay here if you want"  
Harley followed her, as the cat run towards a fire ladder, grabbed it and started to climb towards the roofs.  
"She really needs to learn how to relax" Harley pointed out, but none of the others answered her. Barbara mostly because Harley knew she didn't like her, and Cara, because she seemed to have found something. "Pumpkin?"  
Cara didn't seem to have noticed her call, as she kept walking into the alley. Harley jumped off the car and walked towards her girlfriend, feeling more overprotective then she knew was necessary. Cara could defend herself, Harley knew that, but she still wanted to make sure that she was safe, not wanting the city to take her away, and brake her to, as it had done with so many others.

Harley stopped at Cara's side, seeing how she was touching the wall, and the letters on it. Harley looked at the hasty writing, having a hard time to read the words.  
"This is Ed's writing" Harley looked at Cara, taking her hand, in an attempt to let her know that she was there for her. "Thank you"  
Harley felt a set of lips on her forehead, if only for a second, but it still left a smile on her lips.  
"What is it saying?"  
"You can see me, but you cannot touch me. With the flick of a switch, I enter your home. With another, I leave you alone. What am I?"  
Of course it was a riddle, if it was Ed who wrote it, what else could it be. Harley turned towards Cara, she was almost eerie good at solving Ed's puzzles. She saw that Cara was deep in thought, and Harley threw a look at Barbara who was standing a few feet's away, but the other woman didn't seem to know the answer either.

"Can you solve it?" Barbara's voice cut the silence a few minutes later.  
"I can, or I have. But I can't make any sense into it"  
"Well what's the answer?" Harley wanted to know that too, but she hadn't used the pissed off voice Barbara did.  
"Electricity"  
"Huh?" Harley couldn't stop herself from sounding surprised, and her sound made Cara smile towards her.  
"My thoughts as well. I don't know what it means. I don't know what Ed's trying to tell me"  
"Great" Barbara turned around and walked towards the car.  
"You will figure it out" Harley tried to be positive, feeling that Cara needed it.  
"I hope I do. But for now I need to put it aside. I may understand it better if I get more information, or Oswald may be able to solve it"  
"Oswald, that's a great idea. Eddie is his boyfriend after all. Maybe it's a code word of some sort"  
"Maybe"  
"So what are you going to do now?" Harley looked at Cara, as they walked towards the car.  
"Now we are going to Arkham" Cara looked at the direction the asylum was, almost as she could see it in the distance.  
"Then let's go!" Harley smiled towards Cara, as both of them entered the car.


	2. Arkham Can Do That To You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the second chapter of the story. And I promise to write on my other stories too! I have decided to try to write two chapters at a time, for each story. Then it will be a bit of longer waiting, but you will at least get two chapters :)
> 
> And I don't have awfully much to say about this chapter, not more then the mystery is growing!
> 
> Enigma is a reference to the Germany machine. Gretchen are from the Batman: Arkham Asylum game, just a easter egg. And the friends Cara are talking about are Horace and Malcolm from Rangers Apprentice. And as I said in the first chapter, the Joker isn't Jerome! Jerome will most likely be in the story in some other way!
> 
> And you will see other characters later, like Mr. Freeze, Victor, Bridget and others. And we will be back in Arkham, mostly because I love it so much! And if some characters feels, out of character, I apologise for that, they will be a bit out of character to match the story!
> 
> I hope I can write the next chapter soon, and have more Oswald and Edward in it! But I have 6 other chapters to write first ;)
> 
> So enjoy the story :)

* * *

"Where is she?" Oswald looked down at his glass, as the substitute inside, where spinning. The others in the room stayed silent, none of them had an answer to give their boss, at least none that would be to his pleasing. "Where is she?!"  
"I dropped her off at Arkham, you already know that" Barbara put down her drink, a bit too hard on the counter, making the drink spilled over. "Great"  
"Are you alright Babs?" Tabitha handed over a napkin to Barbara, who put it down on the counter.  
"We have been over this, the past week" Barbara did a poor job on hiding her feelings. "If he's this worried, why did he even send her out"  
"I can hear you!" Oswald cut her off, raising his head, and giving her a cold look.  
"That was the point! Maybe you should stop losing people…" Barbara opened her mouth without thinking, and she soon had a gun pointed at her.

"Have we missed the party?" Harley waltzed into the Iceberg Lagoon, with her dogs, and Cara at her side.  
"Cara!" Oswald walked over to her, earning a smile from Cara.  
"Good evening" Cara hugged Oswald, and at once he felt his worry, at least for her disappear.  
"You have looked better" Oswald told her as he took a step back.  
"Arkham can do that to you"  
"Don't I know it" Oswald smiled towards her, before he turned to Harley. "Always a pleasure to meet you Harley"  
"Oh shush, Pengy" Harley put an arm around Penguin's shoulders. "Do you have any food? I am starving, me and my little babies"  
"Give the Lady some food" Oswald turned towards one of his stuff members, who bowed before he headed towards the kitchen.

"Excuse me for being straight forward, and a bit rude, but have you found any information about Edward?" Oswald said as they sat down at a table.  
"Some" Cara placed a few photos on the table. Oswald took them between his long pale fingers, seeing how they displayed how Ed, his Ed, were carried, most likely knocked out, into a truck. Oswald stroked the picture, the closest he got to Ed. He hadn't seen him in weeks, and this was the first clue they had found.  
"Is he alive?" Oswald barely dared to breath those words.  
"Here he is at least. He wrote a riddle on the wall" Cara pointed at another picture, and Oswald looked closer at it. Not surprised to see that Ed wrote a riddle, and in this moment, it couldn't even make him irritated, instead it made him smile, seeing Ed doing something all too typical for him.  
"Can you give me the answer?" Oswald knew all too well that Cara had figured it out already. He admitted it had irritated him in the past, seeing the two of them asking and answering each other's riddles, but in a moment like this, he saw it more as a blessing.  
"Electricity. Does it mean anything to you?"  
"Electricity?" Oswald thought about it. Why would Edward take the time to write a riddle, if he was in danger? That answer was obvious, if the one who took him found a straight answer, they would erase it. But a riddle, most people would overlook, especially since very few people could solve Ed's riddles. Oswald himself had trouble with them, so it was lucky he had Cara here. But the answer she gave him, didn't make sense to him. Which they often did, once he got the answer. Though this answer remain a question for him, and it made him frustrated, he couldn't understand what Edward wanted to tell him.  
"I am afraid I don't know. It means nothing to me" Oswald admitted.  
"I hoped you would know" Cara sighed, just as Harley, sat down on her lap, giving her a drink.  
"You will find him Pumpkin" Harley placed a kiss on her forehead, and it made Oswald felt a jolt of jealousy, he admitted, seeing it was a way Ed often showed affection.  
"Thank you" Cara lifted her glass, and looked at Oswald, with a small smile, apologising. Oswald had learned over the years that Cara far often then he preferred, could understand his feelings. He only raised his hand, to let her know that it was alright.  
"May I ask about Arkham? And what you may have found"  
"What I have found may not shine any light on the situation" Cara sighed as she began telling about her visit to the asylum.

* * *

" _Are you ready Pumpkin?" Harley looked over at the black haired woman, with darker skin, that she knew were Cara. She was standing next to her, wearing a doctor outfit, and pulling it off very well. It almost made Harley distracted for a moment._  
_"I think I shall be the one, asking you that" Cara gave her a sweet smile, and Harley couldn't help herself from pulling her into a gentle kiss, which Cara didn't oppose. "When we get out of here, I will give you so much more"_  
 _"Just don't leave me behind" Harley begged her, looking at the old building, it sent shivers down her spine._  
 _"Never" and when Cara said those words, Harley believed her, knowing that Cara never would leave her here._  
 _"Then let's do this!" Harley smiled, in an attempt to hide her nervousness._

* * *

 _Cara walked towards the gate, acting as she belonged there, and she was just about to use her key card when Harley acted. Harley ran towards her, did a high jump, and landed behind her. Cara acted surprised, and yelped when Harley grabbed her, and pressed a knife towards her throat._  
_"I want to see Mr. J" Harley almost screamed, and the guards who had realised what happened raised their guns. "Shoot, and I kill her!"_  
 _"Hold your fire"_  
 _"Take me to Mr. J!" Harley repeated and Cara was fumbling with her key card, pretending to be nervous, and if Harley hadn't known her, she had believed it._  
 _"Please don't kill me!" Cara's voice was shaking, as the door opened and they walked inside the asylum._  
 _"As long as none of the guards tries anything, you don't have to worry sweetie" Harley whispered to her, and made her go forward._

_"Stand down!" one of the guards who were following them shouted, as another staff member walked towards them._   
_"Which way?" Harley looked at the the corridor, in front of them._   
_"I…I don't know" Cara sounded more than distressed, forcing Harley to remember that it was all an act. "It's my first day"_   
_"Then get one of this useless over paid clowns to show the way" Harley looked at the guards around them._   
_"Please?" Cara begged, showing fear in her eyes._   
_"This way" a younger male sounded and Harley started to guide Cara in that direction, still holding the knife to her throat, but being careful not to hurt her._

* * *

_The guard brought them to one of the exercising yards._   
_"Here he is" the guards pointed at a man, sitting with the back towards them. Harley took a deep breath, far from pleased to see the Joker once again. Something Cara must have noticed, since Harley soon felt a fast, but form grip on her hand. If someone else saw it, they would most likely think it was a try to break free, but for Harley it was more than that._   
_"Open up!" Harley demanded, but the guards did no attempt to move._   
_"Let go of the doctor first!"_   
_"And have you handcuff me? Fat chance of that happening!" Harley pressed Cara closer towards her, more to calm her nervous, then opposing a threat._   
_"Please" Cara begged, and Harley felt how tears landed on her forearm. Harley almost let go of Cara, unprepared for it, but ones again, she reminded herself of that it was all pretend._   
_"Open!" Harley shouted and Cara jumped, with accidently made Harley cut Cara a bit. Harley felt the blood, flow down her wrist._   
_"Do as she say" Cara begged the guards again, and they slowly opened the door, and Harley walked towards the door, still holding Cara._

_"Oh Mr. J!" Harley called, putting on a big smile. The man with green hair turned and faced her._   
_"Harley" Joker smiled, a smile Harley had learned to hate._   
_"Pudding! I am here to break you out!" Harley informed him, sounding happy._   
_"Why is that?" Joker gave her a suspicious glance, not something that that surprised her, she had left his side, almost four years ago._   
_"I had missed you. I don't do good on my own" Harley hang with her head._   
_"Don't be sad Harls, you never were good on your own, but now you are home, we can correct that" Joker laughed and stepped forward, and Harley smiled, and let go off Cara. The guards quickly grabbed Cara, taking her away from safe distance from Harley, who had jumped up in Joker's arms._   
_"Pudding!" Harley purred "Let's get out!"_   
_"Nobody moves!" the guards pointed their guns at them._   
_"You let go of the hostage!" Joker shouted, as he hit Harley over the cheek. Harley felt the familiar pain, as she landed on her bum, on the floor._   
_"Lock them up!" At the guard's signals, they grabbed both Harley and the Joker, and put them in cuffs, to drag them away._

* * *

" _Are you alright ma'am?" Cara sat on the gurney, shaking._  
_"I…I…" she pretended not to know what to answer._  
 _"You are in shock, it's understandable" The doctor, standing in front of her, looked at her._  
 _"I…I am aware" Cara excepted the glass that were handed to her._  
 _"Hell of a first day you are having" a man said when he entered the room, Cara looked at him, meeting his glance._  
 _"It's more exciting then I imagine it would be" Cara gave him a small smile._  
 _"Normally it doesn't get this exciting" the man said, as Cara stood up._  
 _"I had a meeting with Mr. Quimby"_  
 _"I can take you there" the man offered her, and Cara nodded, following the other one._

* * *

 _Cara listened to how Mr. Quimby informed her about the work she would be doing there, the patients, and the rules of the facility. Cara were barely listening to a word he was saying, not having any meaning for her. But she pretended to listen, as the good, hopeful doctor she pretended to be._  
_"You can take the day off, after the start you had"_  
 _"I am fine, if it's fine by you, I rather get to know the facility. I am afraid I may not come back if I go home, letting my fear take over" Cara fumbled with her coat, as she smiled nervously._  
 _"I understand. If this is what you prefer, I will not keep you occupied, I let you find your way to your office"_  
 _"Thank you"_

* * *

 _Cara had soon got familiar with the asylum, and became a familiar face, both to the staff and the patients._  
_"Doctor Whistler!" a guard called out for her, and Cara turned around._  
 _"Please say Gretchen" Cara used a name of a woman who would start working at the asylum soon. It would not seem suspicious since they changed a few dates, and when the real doctor appeared, she planned to be long gone._  
 _"Gretchen, Scarecrow is acting up again. Do you have time to look talk with him?"_  
 _"I think I can make the time if not" Cara smiled as she followed the guard. Scarecrow, or rather Jonathan was one of the easier patients to deal with. He was without a doubt crazy, like the rest, and a dangerous man, but since she had magic, his toxic didn't affect her. And if he became too much, she could use magic on him, like anyone else. But despite that he was one of the easier patients, and she could maybe be able to cure him, she didn't have any plans on doing so, she wouldn't stay at Arkham that long, and she could get nothing out of it._  
 _"Thank you" the guard opened Jonathans cell with a smile._

" _Jonathan?" he turned around when he heard a somewhat familiar voice. As he did he saw a dark figure, standing in the door, dripping with blood, as the body was covered in open wounds._  
_"Make it stop!" he screamed at the figure, who walked over to him._  
 _"Deep breaths" Jonathan screamed at the figure, hoping it would disappear, but instead it gently placed a hand on his shoulder, and made him sit down on his bed._  
 _"Let go off me!" but the figure did no such thing, and just as he was on the brink on flouting into his world of fear, he felt calm, and it was like something pulled him back, into the real world. He turned towards the figure next to him, but instead of seeing the fearing, dark figure, he saw the familiar face of Doctor Gretchen._  
 _"Thank you" it was not more than a whisper, but it earned him a smile from the woman._  
 _"It's my job" she replayed, and even if it was true, she manage to do what no one else did, keep the fear away. "What triggered it this time?"_

 _Jonathan felt silent at her question, he had been told not to tell anybody, but what he was doing, made him feel worse. Slowly he looked over at the guard, but he was paying them no intention._  
_"They are forcing me to create more of the toxic my father made" Jonathan looked down at the floor, as he said those words._  
 _"Why?" Gretchen's voice was calm, and he could hear no judging._  
 _"I am not fully sure, but from what I have heard, someone ordered it"_  
 _"Do you know who ordered it, or on who they intend to use it?" Jonathan felt like he knew a name, but something stopped him from remembering._  
 _"I can't remember who ordered it, or if they have ever mention a name" Jonathan was almost sure that they hadn't mentioned for who he was making it._  
 _"And on who they intend to use it?"_  
 _"I can't remember the name, not fully at least, but I think I have heard it, something like Ey… No, maybe it was Eny… Enigma?"_  
 _"Enigma?" Gretchen sounded surprised and he met her eyes. "May it have been Nygma? First name Edward?"_  
 _"It may have. Do you know who it is?"_  
 _"I have his name on some files, he is a patients of mine, but I have yet to meet him" Gretchen explained, and it was something about her words that made Jonathan doubt them, but he couldn't know what. "But that has no matter. You getting this episodes, by doing this work is far worse. What I can say about it is that I will talk to the warden about it, I can also give you some medicine that may help you"_  
 _"No medicine!" Jonathan protested, he didn't want to eat more, Gretchen nodded, and instead she showed him a very small stone._  
 _"This is far from medical, but a friend of mine was claustrophobic, and another friend gave him something similar to this" She covered the stone with both of her hands. "It was the darkness in small areas that made it worse for him. So when he felt the panic raising, he looked at what my friend gave him."_  
 _Jonathan looked at the stone, who now was glowing in the doctors hand, like it was luminous._  
 _"Feel free to try it when you get scared. Concentrate on the stone, and it's light"_  
 _"Can I just have this?" From the story Gretchen told, he almost felt like the stone was special to her._  
 _"I gave it to you, didn't I? Let me know if it helps" With those words, she stood up and left him to himself, as his eyes were on the stone._

* * *

" _Thank you doctor, as always you managed to calm him down" the guard sounded relieved and Cara nodded, a bit absent maybe. Hearing that Scarecrow made toxic that was intended to be used on Edward, was troubling news._  
_"May I ask you something?" Cara looked at the guard who were nodded._  
 _"I have a patient on my list who I still have to meet. He has not shown up to our meetings, and his cell seem empty"_  
 _"Who is it?" The guard looked at her paper._  
 _"His name is Nygma. Jonathan mentioned him, said something about his toxic. Is this Nygma on some treatment I don't know about?" Cara played the role as the kind, a bit naïve and to be unfamiliar with even Ed's name._  
 _"Hm" the guard hesitated, and at once Cara felt like there was a story hidden. "It may be better if you talk to the warden"_  
 _"I am not in any trouble, am I? Maybe I should have asked sooner, maybe I was the first one that noticed that he was going missing" Cara started to sound nervous, and the guard met her gaze, smiling._  
 _"You have nothing to worry for, ask the warden, and he will tell you"_  
 _"Thank you" Cara gave him a small smile, before she walked towards Quimby's office._

* * *

" _Mr Quimby?"_  
_"Yes" he took his eyes off the papers he was reading, when Gretchen entered his office. She was looking pale, and he could tell she was nervous. "Is something wrong?"_  
 _"I…I don't know. One of the guards told me to ask you, instead of him. But I don't know, maybe he couldn't handle it. I should have asked sooner, if he is gone now, he may be far gone. Or I have done my job poorly, since I haven't treated him. I…"_  
 _"Slow down Doctor Gretchen, I am not following you" He tried to make some sense of her words, but he could find none, except that she was nervous about something._  
 _"It's about Nygma. He is on my list, but he is gone. I am sorry for not noticing earlier, they should not be able to get out but he seems to have…" He watched Gretchen as she was fumbling with her hair, and he almost cursed himself for not removing Nygma's name from her patients files, but she was bound to find out sooner or later._  
 _"He hasn't escaped, at least not this time, so you have nothing to worry about" he started, as she met his eyes. "He was supposed to arrive here, but something changed. All I can tell you is that he never arrived, I got a message instructing me to forget about it, which I did, without questioning. It's Gotham after all"_  
 _"So I have done nothing wrong?"_  
 _"Not at all. I apologise if I worried you" his words seemed to calm the woman down, and he felt relived. Despite her being only here a week, was she a big asset, and he needed to have her at her best._  
 _"May I ask why he was sent here? For what incident? And Jonathan talked about him making toxic to be used on this patient"_

_"Jonathan shouldn't talk too much" Those words seemed to make Gretchen unsure how to response, and he raised his hand as an apologise. It was unfortunately that Jonathan had even mentioned Nygma's name, especially now when Penguin was searching for Nygma, everything about him had to be kept a secret. "What I mean is that Jonathan isn't stable, and he isn't always aware of what's real and not. And I am not sure for which crime Nygma was sent here, it could be for any of the one he has done. But as something changed, I ask you to forget about it, and concentrate on the other patients"_   
_"I will do that" Those words come with a smile from Gretchen. "Thank you for letting me know. I am just relived that I have done nothing wrong"_   
_"Glad to have eased your mind" he smiled back at the woman as she left his office. Hoping that he wouldn't need to worry about her, asking anything else about Nygma._

* * *

" _Doctor Whistler"_  
_"Good evening Mr. Joker" he smiled a wide smile, as she sat down, almost excited over having someone new to play with._  
 _"Mr? Aren't we a fancy Lady?" the words left his lips with a laugh._  
 _"Do you prefer something else? Maybe Pudding?" He met her gaze, feeling that it was something else behind her words, then a gentle teasing._  
 _"You have talked to Harley"_  
 _"More than ones, but I am not here for her sake" He watched her as she crossed her legs, put an elbow on the table, and rested her head against her hand. Her behaviour told him that she wasn't afraid of him, but that was something he could change, a new challenge maybe? Though he was far from sure if he wanted to go down that way, there was so many ways he could go, and after this meeting, he would knew which._  
 _"Someone else then? The warden? Gordon's?" Wondering for who she was there._  
 _"Neither of them. I am here for Nygma's sake" she uttered, and those words made him more than surprised._  
 _"The crazy man with the riddles?" he leaned closer to her, but she did not move back. "What do you want with him? He belongs to Penguin, but you know that already, he sent you here! He has always been far too clever for his own sake"_  
 _His laughter echoed through the cell._  
 _"He did no such thing as send me here. But I am aware that Nygma belongs to Penguin, and I have no such interest for him. I want to know why he was planned to be sent here, why Scarecrow makes toxic to be used on him. And even if you are sitting here, behind bars, you have your cards to play in the big game. And I want to know if your cards will destroy my hand, and the game" he studied her, leaning even a more forward, with a smile on his lips._  
 _"You are no ordinary doctor, how interesting" he whispered "But showing you my hand, that would destroy the fun"_  
 _"I am far from no ordinary doctor" she whispered back, as she gave him a cold smile, a smile that made him laugh. "And I didn't think you would show me your hand"_  
 _"Leaving already?" he asked as she stood up, and he grabbed her hand._  
 _"I have nothing else to say to you, would you please give back my hand?" her voice was polite, but he saw the cold in her eyes, and he moved the hand to his lips, before he licked her hand. As he did he saw how Gretchen rolled her eyes, before he found himself up against the wall. It had happened without him having time to reacting, Gretchen eyes met him._  
 _"I only ask polite once, remember that" with those words, she swiped away his feet, and he felt to the floor. The Joker started to laugh, as Gretchen walked out through the cell, he would enjoy breaking her, then rebuilding her and seeing what monster he could realise._

* * *

" _Harley?" Cara stepped inside the cell a few days later, and soon saw Harley hanging upside down, from her bunkbed._  
_"Hello" Harley soon let go, and threw herself in her arms, and Cara pulled her closer._  
 _"I have missed you too" she whispered against Harley's ear, and she could almost feel her purr._  
 _"You look awful, even worse than me" Harley stroke her cheek and Cara nodded._  
 _"It has been some stressful days, but don't you worry" Cara placed a sweet kiss on Harley's lips, something the other woman didn't think was enough, as she pulled her closer, and deepened the kiss. "Happy?"_  
 _"A bit" Harley answered when they had parted. "Is it time to go now?"_  
 _"That it is. I have found what I could, hopefully Oswald can do something with the information"_  
 _"Then how do we get out? You can't walk me out" Harley gave her a schooling look, and Cara laughed a warm laugh._  
 _"I have removed any evidence about your staying here, this time, so we do not need to worry about that. And how we get out, just grab my hand" Cara offered her hand, and Harley looked more than sceptical. "Trust me"_  
 _"If you say so Pumpkin" soon Harley took her hand, and Cara concentrated at her apartment, as she apparated them there._

* * *

When Cara went silent, Oswald stood up, and slowly walked over to the window. In the reflection he saw the others eye him.  
"I want to have Scarecrow dead" his voice was barely a whispering, but still as clear as ever. In the window reflection he saw Butch standing up.  
"You can do that, and I would far from blame you" Oswald turned towards Cara, giving her a colder look then she deserved, but the anger he felt over hearing how his Edward, was an offer of Scarecrows toxic, made his blood boil. And she dared to speak differently, and disagreeing with him, because he was aware that was the direction her words were heading.  
"And you have a better idea, I assume?" he asked coldly, something that didn't affect her.  
"I have. Killing him, may not help you or Edward. If you are lucky, he can take you to someone that knows more about Edward" Cara spoke slowly, and he felt like a child being spoken down to, but after blinking a few times, he understood that she did that, because she wanted the words to sink in. He acted up on rage, one of the basic instinct Ed all too often told him not to act up on. Cara used logic instead, and if he calmed down, he knew that her plan was better, but it didn't help him in the sake of seeking revenge.  
"I want him punish for what he's doing to Ed!"  
"You don't know what it is" Barbara spoke, and Oswald signed for her to be quiet, feeling that her voice would only make his temper worse.  
"That he will be. The stone I gave him will make his episodes worse than ever. If he thinks he has felt fear before, he will soon see that it was nothing" Cara spoke coldly. Oswald's eyes met her, and soon he smiled towards her, a bit ashamed that he had doubted her. He knew that she wouldn't let something like this go unpunished.  
"Thank you" Cara only nodded to his words.

"And the Joker, is he involved?" Ivy said was everyone else was wondering. Oswald hoped that wasn't the case, knowing that if the mad man was, they would have a hard time to find Ed, if the Joker didn't want them to. Being that level of crazy he was, made it impossible for anyone else to predict his plans.  
"Not directly or indirectly. At least not what I could tell. He is hard to predict, but from the conversation I had with him, I didn't get that feeling. That doesn't mean that he will get involved now, or know who is. That's why I showed him my cards, hoping it would trigger something that could help us find Ed"  
"Involving the Joker? That's even more madness then involving this freak" Barbara pointed at Harley, who stood up, grasping after a bottle.  
"Harley" Cara grabbed her hand, and Oswald saw how the situation was going south, and Barbara was far from helping, and he knew he had to take back the control, not giving her as much freedom as he had.  
"Barbara is right, we can't trust Joker" Tabitha interjected, and Oswald hated to agree with the woman, but the Joker was a wildcard no one could control, he even doubted Cara could handle him.  
"We can far from trusting him, I am only using him. He will get things in motion, as he will find a way to try to win over me"  
"Pumpkin! What have you done? Have you challenged him?" Oswald heard the worry in Harley's voice, and he felt the same, but Cara smiled towards them.  
"I have done nothing, despite being afraid of him. And don't worry Harley, I have met worse person. The last one was a God, compared to him, Joker is a kind, even nice man" Oswald understood her rezoning, but he couldn't stand behind it. But as for this minute they had other things to worry about, and as long as Joker was in Arkham, he was a problem for a later time. That was a logic Oswald didn't like to use. He had never liked to push his problem in front of him, saving them for later if it could be helped, but as for this minute he felt that it was more important finding Edward, and worrying about what Joker may do.

"Cara I thank you, you have found out more than anyone else has done in weeks" Oswald gave her a smile, only to get one back.  
"That's what friends are for. I am glad I could be able to find something. Let's hope we can find him soon" Oswald nodded, wanting nothing else then finding Edward.  
"I pray for it. But as in this minute, you need to go to bed" at those words Cara laughed.  
"Is this karma?" she joked and Oswald only nodded. "I will not object, I may not need many hours to get my energy back, but getting some sleep will do me good"  
"And me" Harley grabbed Cara's arm, and Cara smiled towards her, as she nodded.  
"Feel free to borrow one of the rooms here" Oswald pointed to the back.  
"Thank you Pengy!" Harley laughed as she scooped Cara, up in her arms, which made Cara laugh too.  
"Until tomorrow then" Cara bowed her head, as both woman left the room. Oswald once again felt a joint of jealousy, missing Edward from his side.  
"Set someone on Scarecrow and the Joker!" he ordered as he turned to the others in the room. "Also try to find the truck, or at least the company that it belongs to"  
"Yes boss" his men answered, as Oswald took his cane and made the walk towards his study, hoping he could find something that pointed him towards Edward's location, with the help from the new information he received.


	3. A Game of Poker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So okay, this is the next chapter, and for now it will only be one. I am sorry, I said I would post two chapter each time, but that has changed. I have gotten even less times this days. So I will post when I have time and inspiration. Sometimes it may be only one chapter, sometimes it may be more. But I promise to update as soon as I can, and once again I am sorry.
> 
> So back to the story. I struggled a bit with this chapter, but I got somewhat happy with it. All the people in the story exist.  
> Donna Cavanagh is the Foxglove in the comic, She has nothing to do with the foxglove in the series, I just put them together.  
> Tobacconists' Club is also a a real place in the comics and it's run by Rupert Thorne, I have no idea how he is, so I just used him as I wanted. I apologise to anyone who knows more about him, and like him.  
> Desmond is also a real character, but I will not tell you more about him yet.
> 
> The gaming part is inspired by the anime Kakegurui.
> 
> I apologise if the characters are a bit out of character, still trying make them work as I want.
> 
> And this was the first flashback, it will be more along the story.
> 
> Also you got some more information about Ed, you will get more in the next chapter.
> 
> As always thank you for reading and commenting, I really appreciate it! 
> 
> Enjoy the reading.

* * *

 

The room was dim, and he was leaning towards the window, looking out in the darkness. The club was empty after he had threw them all out, they were all useless, they had found nothing, not the truck, not the company's logo, not anyone who had distributed Scarecrows gas. He felt that he was surrounded by idiots.

"Edward where are you?" he whispered just as the door opened, and he grabbed the gun, prepared to shot the person at first site, until he saw that it was Cara, and he lowered the gun.  
"Thank you, even with healing powers, gunshots hurts" she offered him a smile, one he couldn't replay. She didn't seem bothered by it, and it pleased him, feeling far from alright to deal with her being upset. She sat down, next to him, without any more words and Oswald slowly leaned towards her. He felt exhausted, constantly worrying about Ed drained his powers, and when Cara placed an arm around his shoulders, he felt himself breakdown. He was far from proud of it, the way he clung to her, but she only held him, to insure him everything would be alright. He admired her, believing it, he didn't want to lose hope, but it had been weeks since Edward disappeared and they hadn't found anything. It was Gotham and you had to be realistic, if someone wanted you dead, it was often bound to happen. Oswald had been lucky, surviving so far, but he feared that Edward didn't have the same luck.

"Pumpkin!" Harley's voice suddenly echoed through the empty halls, and at once Oswald sat up, collecting himself. He may be a wreak on the brink of giving up, but letting someone else then the woman next to him, see that, was unthinkable. "Pumpkin!"  
Harley ran through the room, almost throwing herself at the other woman, but contained herself, realising it would hurt Cara.  
"Hello Harley" Cara laughed as the blond sat down in her lap.  
"Hi Oswald" Harley flashed him a smile, and he answered her with a nod.  
"What have gotten you in such a good mood?" Cara asked as the other woman took her hands.  
"I have just heard the news about a place Jeromy has opened. It's a gambling hall, and apparently you can gamble with everything" Harley looked hopefully at both of them, and Oswald couldn't see why. How could she be thinking about such juvenile things.  
"That is great news" Cara started and Oswald looked at her in disbelief.  
"We can gamble with information regarding Edward"  
"Oh, I thought we would just kidnap a few of the guests, but your plan may be better" Harley laughed and Oswald nodded, he had gone through with far worse plans.  
"If we don't get any information that helps us, we can kidnap people too" Cara smiled towards Harley, which smiled even wider.  
"I love your crazy mind"  
"Well thank you" Cara stood up, taking Harley's hand. "Let's get ready to leave"

* * *

 

The cards hit the table, showing pair in ace and Oswald took the folders of information, people had been betting with. He would most likely not have any use of them, unless they could point him in the direction of Ed. He threw a glance at the room when he saw Barbara pass with Tabitha and Butch next to her. He had ordered them all to play, in a try to find any information they could. He had seen a far of them walk around, trying different games. He himself was a simple man and he had stopped with the information poker table. He had no desire to try different games, in the risk of loosening.  
"Any luck Pengy?" Ivy sat down next to him, flashing him a big smile, drinking something she clearly shouldn't. She may look as a grown woman, but her mind was far from it, but Oswald chose not to say anything, knowing it would only lead to an argument, one didn't have energy for. The red haired woman was like a sister to him, with everything it meant.  
"Some" Oswald showed her the folders and she smiled.  
"Wow, they are going to do a robbery against the art museum" Ivy sounded impress, something Oswald hadn't be. He could see ten fault in the plan at once, but he wouldn't point it out to the others.  
"Have you encounter the others?"  
"Some of them. Cat is playing a reflex game, Barbara was playing a value game, not sure how it worked, Harley was playing a memory game" Ivy stated, continuing reading the folders.  
"Cara?" he asked and Ivy looked up.  
"Um not in a while. Last time I saw her she was playing some crazy poker game, and they talked about marriage" Ivy returned towards the paper once more. Oswald lifted his eyes from the cards he had in his hand, as he had hoped to see Cara somewhere. He was unsure how he should react, hearing that the other one was gambling with her hand in marriage.  
"Two cards" Oswald said and the dealer gave him two new ones. "Do you know if she was winning or not?"  
"No idea, I am not even sure how you really play, it wasn't like normal poker." Ivy answered before she pouted as he took some of the files from her and threw them on the table. "Hey"  
Oswald ignored her, and turned back towards the game, he felt that he needed to make sure that Cara was alright. Not only because, he thought of her as one of the true friends he had. No it was mostly due to the fact that he knew that Edward would kill him, if Oswald dragged Cara into something and got her hurt. It would be the irony if he found Edward, only to be killed by him, because he didn't protect Cara. Oswald threw the cards on the table, and took the files he won and left Ivy behind to find Cara.

* * *

 

"How could you do that?!" Harley was more than upset, looking at the woman that was her girlfriend.  
"Harley…" Cara started but Harley interrupted her.  
"Don't Harley me!" she almost screamed, making a few bystanders looking at them, before they rushed passed them. "What would you have done if you lost?"  
"Killed him" Cara's voice was calm, but the man next to him got a scared look on his face.  
"You…you…" he tried to talk but Cara silenced him.  
"You are mine now, remember that!" the man stopped talking. Harley looked at both of them, still angry. She didn't want this stranger close to her girlfriend, imagine what he was hoping to do.  
"Harley" Cara tried again, taking her hands, and Harley met Cara's blue eyes. "I am yours, never doubt that. I wouldn't leave you for anyone else in this world"  
"But in another world" Harley couldn't hide her sorrow, knowing that Cara had already left her once, and Harley felt lucky that she had gotten a chance to get her back.  
"Not until you have passed on" Cara whispered and this time Harley heard the sorrow in her voice, and Harley pulled her into a hug.  
"I am sorry" she started to cry when she felt Cara's arms around her.  
"So am I"

Suddenly Harley laughed and whipped her tears.  
"I think you have someone else who aren't too pleased with your actions" Harley looked at Oswald who was standing patently, looking at them.  
"Hello Oswald" Cara turned towards him, smiling and he couldn't see the funny in the situation.  
"Is there anything I can say, that Harley hasn't said already?" he asked and Cara seemed to think about it.  
"I can imagine a few things" she only answered and Oswald sighed.  
"Did the thought of what I would have told Edward, cross your mind?"  
"Harley didn't ask that" Cara pointed out, and Oswald felt that she was taking the situation to lightly. "And it's very sweet that both of you act this way, but there is no need to fear, I know what I am doing, and it's all worth it, if we can find Edward"  
"I want to find him as much as you, if not more, but that doesn't mean I want to lose another friend on the way" Oswald met her eyes and Cara walked over to him.  
"Of that you don't need to worry. I don't leave my friends that easily" she gave him an encouraged smile. "But both of you may want to look away when I play the next game"  
"Why?" Harley worryingly asked.  
"I am going to play with Jerome" Cara looked over to the man, owning the house, as he was sitting with two guns.  
"No!" Harley placed her hands around her waist, hindering her from moving on. "I am not letting you play Russian roulette with him!"  
"It's going to be alright" Cara grabbed Harley's hands "Just trust me, and I will tell you everything afterwards, when people can't listen"  
Oswald was far from pleased by this, but he had little other choice then to trust the woman, knowing she would do it no matter what they did. Harley didn't let go of her, as she followed her to the table.

* * *

 "Well, well what do we have here, a player" Jerome laughed, a laugh Harley didn't like it, and she held Cara's hand.  
"Harley" Cara looked up at her with a gentle smile. "I need my hand to play"  
Harley was about to say something when Cara gently pulled her down and kissed her.  
"Lovers done?" Jerome laughed and Cara turned towards him.  
"I am all yours"  
"Lucky me" Jerome handed over a pistol to her. "What does the lady want to play with?"  
"Information" Cara leaned forward, loading the gun. "I want to know what you know about the Riddler's disappearing"  
"Why do you think I know anything?" Jerome loaded his gun.  
"Well if you don't, then we will not be playing" Cara stated and the other man laughed.  
"I think I may have something. But what are you willing to bet?"  
"What are you interested in?" Jerome thought about it, before he smiled a creepy smile.  
"I want a kiss from her" he looked at Harley.  
"No, I don't bet with my girlfriend" Cara stated and Harley smiled, glad she wasn't being used as a bargaining, even when it came to Ed.  
"I do it" Harley answered, she was willing to do that for Cara and Ed. Cara took her hand, and stroke it, to say thank you.  
"And from him" Jerome looked at Oswald who only shrugged his shoulders, accepting, for him a kiss was nothing if he could get Oswald back.  
"Is that all?" Cara asked and Jerome nodded. "So what's the rules?"  
"You load the gun with as many bullets you want" the dealer started and Cara looked at the revolver, and loaded it with six bullets. "You will place your cards on the table, and try to match the dealers. The winner grabs one of the guns and chose if they want to shot or not, if you live, you get what you betted. You play three rounds"  
"Simple enough" Cara stated and placed her gun on the table, and shoved it down the hole.  
"Let the fun begin" Jerome laughed as he started placing his cards on the table, and Cara did the same.

Harley was worried, and she glanced over to Oswald, she couldn't read the other man's expression, it didn't surprise her, him being the king of Gotham, but she had preferred to see if he was worried too. To know that she wasn't alone in this. She wasn't sure if Cara was worried, not about herself at least. Harley feared that Cara was more worried about the kisses than anything else. Harley wanted to trust her, and she did, but she feared that Cara didn't put herself first, or even in second or third place. Harley looked at the cards as they turned face up side.  
"Congratulations miss" the dealer said and Cara grabbed a gun aiming at Jerome's shoulder and pressed, but nothing happened and Jerome laughed.  
"Didn't load them" he said and Cara nodded, as they once more returned their guns and loaded them. Before they started over.

Harley looked at the cards as they got turned over, and she almost yelped, seeing that Cara lost. Harley watched Jerome as he grabbed a gun, licking it.  
"I am going to enjoy this" he pointed the gun at Cara and pulled the trigger, laughing. Harley watched the bullet as it flew through the air, before it hit Cara between the eyes. Harley couldn't help herself from screaming as she rushed towards Cara, together with Oswald. Harley saw the blood dropping down Cara's face and Harley was about to attack Jerome when Cara suddenly grabbed her.  
"No need Harley" Harley didn't know how to react, if she wanted to scream at Cara, or hug her. She couldn't believe it, she had seen the Joker survive some crazy things, so she knew it was possible, but the man had never survived a bullet between his eyes. Harley felt Cara's lips on her hand, before the other blond turned towards Jerome.  
"I think we have one round to go"  
"Oh, you are a though one" Jerome looked at the cards as they were placed on the table and they slowly turned. Oswald had placed himself beside Harley, who grabbed his arm. Oswald felt her nails piercing his arm, but he didn't tell her, understanding the worry she felt. If it had been Edward, Oswald was unaware of how he would have handled the situation. But he was fairly sure he would have handed it far worse than Harley did. The last card come up and Harley laughed happily.  
"You won" she kissed Cara, tasting her soft lips up on hers, but stopped when Jerome laughed, and Cara grabbed her own gun, and aimed at Jerome.  
"Want me to shoot you?" Cara asked and Jerome only laughed and she pulled the trigger and Jerome laughed as the bullet hit his shoulder.  
"I love you, you are crazy" Jerome laughed once more and Harley placed her arms around Cara, claiming her, which made Cara laugh a warm laugh, taking Harley's hands.  
"All I want to, is the information about the Riddler"  
"You have earned it" Jerome leaned forward. "Last I heard, he was seen at Tobacconists club"  
"Thank you" Cara stood up, still blood dropping down from her face as they were walking out of the building.

* * *

 "Fuck, it hurts as hell" Harley looked at Cara when there were back at the club and she started to remove the bullet.  
"What are you doing, you need a doctor" Harley grabbed her hands.  
"I am fine, I just need to remove the bullet" Harley watched as Cara used, something. Harley was sure it was some sort of magic, but she had very little knowledge of what it could do, or how it worked.  
"Be careful" Harley begged as she sat on the table, in front of Cara.  
"Don't worry, it's not the first bullet I remove" Harley understood that she tried to comfort her, but it didn't work. She was aware that Cara had been through more than any of them, however; Harley didn't want to see her in pain, or getting hurt. "There"  
Harley looked at the bullet as it landed in Cara's hand, bloody but intact. Harley leaned forward and kissed Cara, removing the blood the other one still had on her lips.  
"Are you still in pain?" Harley met the blue eyes.  
"I am, and I will for a while, but don't worry, I will be fine" Cara said honestly and Harley appreciated it, knowing that the other one could have lied to her.

"How did you survive?" Oswald asked, walking over from the bar, with a bottle of something and three glasses. Harley made room for the beverages at the table, but didn't jump down.  
"Oh, I am immortal" Cara stated as she smiled at them, both taken back at her words. Oswald was well aware that the woman in front of him, was unlike any of them, her ability to use magic was proof enough. But he was more than sure that she hadn't been immortal the last time, recalling that she was badly hurt the last time, even with her healing powers.

* * *

_Oswald looked at the blond woman, he hadn't known her for more than a few days, and he was far from sure what he thought about her. But he had started to know Edward, a man whose company he more than appreciated. However, he had come to the understanding that this woman was a big part of Edward's life, and if he wanted to be a part of it, he would have to include her. But what he saw, wasn't something that impressed him, she seemed to be one of the rich people in the town, who seemed to be to unaware of how the town they lived in worked. The thing she seemed to have going for her, was her mind. Oswald had been surprised to see that she could keep up with Edward when he started talking in ways no one else could understand. Oswald had guessed that was why the other man liked spending time with her. Not that it could explain why Edward had brought the woman with him._

_Due to Edward's newly found love for crimes, Oswald had asked him if he would like to accompany him to a meeting, concerning a weapon trade. Oswald couldn't ever remember seeing someone so happy to get asked just that. And Oswald had felt happy to be able to do something for his friend, until he showed up with the woman. Oswald had far from time to babysit her, but Edward left no room to argue as they headed into, what now was clear a trap. Oswald was unsure which of his henchmen had inlaid the trap, but he would find out and kill that one slowly. Especially since he was trapped with Edward, who despite his wonderful mind, wasn't too much of a help in a situation like this, and a rich woman, which was even worse._  
_"Are you alright?" Cara looked at Edward, who gave her a weak smile._  
 _"I fear that my pulse is higher than any doctor would recommend" he answered her, as Cara took his hand._  
 _"That will pass" she ensured and Edward nodded as he turned towards Oswald._  
 _"Any idea of how we will get out?"_  
 _"Not at the moment, no. The door behind us is blocked, and as long as you can't fly, the windows are out of calculation" Oswald looked at the henchmen on the other side of the room, still shooting at them, as he tried to hit one of them, with his own bullets._  
 _"Maybe I can…" Edward stopped talking and Oswald was aware that he wouldn't continue again, not when he started thinking of something. He saw that the blonde woman was watching him carefully, as she understood what Edward would do._  
 _"Give up Penguin!" someone screamed from the other side of the room. Oswald didn't even bother him with a verbal response, instead he pulled the trigger once more. In the corner of his eyes, he saw movement, but he had no time to react before Edward rushed out from the cover, to a goal Oswald was unsure of._  
 _"Edward" Cara shouted and soon rushed after and Oswald almost shot them himself, knowing they would die._

_Oswald saw how Edward feel to the ground, and he would never admit it to someone, but he forgot to breathed for a second. He saw how Cara caught him, the best she could and how she told him something, smiling, before she turned around and the smile was gone. In that second Oswald felt how the air changed and he was far from sure what happened. He saw the blond woman walking towards the men, determine, with a cold look on her face. Oswald thought she had lost it, before he saw something leaving the woman's hand, resulting in one of the men on the other side, falling to the ground. Oswald couldn't explain what was happening as the men on the other side started to fall down, one by one as the woman walked towards them. She didn't seem to have any weapons in her hand, but the men fell to the ground none the less. Seeing that it was only a few of them left, Oswald dared to move towards Edward, as fast as his leg allowed him._

_"Edward" Oswald sat down next to him, seeing how he blead from the arm. "Are you alright?"_  
_"Oswald?" Edward turned towards him, smiling. "Getting shot hurts"_  
 _"Well of course it does, what did you think you idiot" Oswald didn't hide his anger earning a laugh from Edward, as he slowly sat up, clearly looking for Cara._  
 _"Cara?" he called out, not seeing the other blonde and neither did Oswald._  
 _"Here!" Cara walked out from behind some large boxes, holding a hand over her stomach._  
 _"You are hurt" Edward sprung to his feet, leaving Oswald to slowly get up and follow him._  
 _"Nothing to worry about, it will heal" she ensured him. Oswald got over seeing how the woman bleed heavily from a wound in her stomach._  
 _"You need a doctor" Oswald commented but the other one shocked her head._  
 _"It's fine" she gave him a smile before she turned towards Edward. "But you! Never do something stupid like that again! What the hell were you even thinking?"_  
 _"I thought that if I lure them to aim at me, you could eliminate them" he explained to her and Cara sighed._  
 _"Let me know that next time, instead of giving me a heart attack" Cara placed a bloody hand on Edward's cheek and Edward took it._  
 _"Promise" he stated, giving her a smile. Oswald had looked at them, not understanding what happened. What the woman had done, how they both was so calm about her situation, and not why he felt a jolt of jealousy seeing them._

* * *

 

It had taken Cara days to fully heal, and Edward had been by her side all the time. Looking back at it now, Oswald understood why he was jealous, believing it was something between the two of them, knowing he most likely started to feel something for the taller man already back then. At that moment he hadn't known that Edward was homosexual and not interested in Cara in that way. He had soon come to realise that they were merely best friends, almost as siblings. But seeing how badly hurt she was then, she couldn't have been immortal, since he remembered both Cara and Edward fearing she wouldn't make it.  
"How does one become immortal?" Oswald finally asked, looking at the blond one.  
"You remember the god I told you about?" Cara asked and Oswald remembered. "He has an very carrying mother who offered me the power of becoming immortal"  
Harley didn't know what the two of them were talking to, but she could tell that Cara didn't tell her everything, mostly due to the fact that it would hurt her. Harley knew that Cara had partners before her, or even now in other worlds, but they never talked about it. Harley appreciated it, knowing Cara only thought and cared about her when she was here, but knowing that someone, either as a friend or something more would have Cara forever saddened her a bit. Cara must have sensed it because she took Harley's hand and pulled her towards her, into a gentle kiss. Harley didn't say anything, she only let Cara show her how much she cared.

"But I would appreciate if you both kept this a secret" Cara looked at them with a serious expression.  
"Why? It's freaking cool that you are immortal" Harley admitted, it did sadden her that Cara would leave her, even if it was by death, but being immortal was still cool. For a second Harley thought about all the cool thing Cara must be able to do.  
"Because" Cara met her eyes "I can't die, but I still feel pain, and if death isn't an option, eternal pain is. If someone who hates me figures it out, I wouldn't not care to think of everything they can do"  
"I would never let that happen to you Pumpkin" Harley crawled down to her lap, hugging her protectively.  
"Thank you" Cara gave her a smile.  
"Your secret are safe with me" Oswald ensured her and Cara nodded, showing how much she trusted them.

* * *

 

"We have found him" Barbara stormed inside, smiling followed by the others. Butch was carrying a man over his shoulders, who tried to break free, without any success. They dropped them man in front of the table where they were sitting.  
"Welcome Mr. Thorne" Oswald stood up, giving him far from a welcoming smile.  
"What is the meaning of this?" The large man asked.  
"It's just a talk between friends"  
"We aren't friends Penguin" Thorne spouted and Oswald stopped smiling.  
"No we aren't, and the chance of it ever happening becomes less by the second" Oswald leaned closer. "Where is Ed?"  
"Who?"  
"The Riddler"  
"The freak with all the questions?" Thorne asked, not realising his mistake until he saw Oswald's dark eyes.  
"Want something to hit him with?" Harley asked with a happy tone, once more sitting at the table. Oswald only waved her offer away, far from a fan hitting people with, compared to the jester.  
"Where is he?" Oswald asked once more.  
"How should I know?"  
"Wrong answer" Barbara laughed, holding a drink.  
"Want to borrow some of my perfume?" Ivy offered and Oswald met her eyes for a second, thinking about it.  
"Not yet" he answered her and she nodded, and jumped on top of the bar.  
"I am a man with very little patient this days Mr. Thorne" Oswald warned and Thorne swallowed, looking at all of them.  
"I don't know" he shouted, clearly scared.  
"Want to rethink your answer" Harley pulled a gun "Your life is only depending on it"  
Oswald almost turned towards the blond behind him, to ask her to be quiet when the man started talking.  
"I don't know where he is, alright. He was with us for a short time, around three weeks ago, they tried to sell him to me, and at first I was tempted knowing what genius he is. But when they got there with him, he wasn't more than a scared, mumbling fool" Thorne started, sweating as he told the story. "I told Mr. Desmond that I wasn't interested in him anymore, and they said they needed to find another thing for him to do then"  
Oswald had to brace himself from not pulling his gun and shooting the man at the spot.  
"They took him away, that's the last time I saw him"  
"Where did they relocate him to? And for what purpose do they want to use him?" Oswald asked.  
"They didn't tell me what they brought him, but I overheard one of them that they would take him back to Mr. Desmond's place, but I don't know where that is" Thorne answered. "And for what purpose they are keeping him, I am unsure. But I overheard something about a woman named Donna Cavangeh…"

"Boss?" Butch interrupted.  
"What?" Oswald shouted, far from pleased by the other man's interruption.  
"Isn't Donna Cavangeh the woman earning brothels all over the country, who earns the Foxgloves here in Gotham?"  
Up on hearing those words they all turned towards Thorne, just as Oswald aimed his gun at him.  
"Shooting him is to easy!" Ivy stated walking up next to Oswald. "I sae poison him"  
"Electrocute him" Harley stated with a wide smile.  
"I can get behind that idea" Barbara nodded.  
"I have a few other things we can try" Tabitha put her hand on the wipe.

They may not always like Ed and his way, but they were a family, in a strange way, and they looked out for each other. Edward was smarter then all of them and his mind worked in ways none of them even could imagine, but when it came to strength and knowledge of the life as a criminal he was still inexperienced. None of them would admit it, neither to themselves or him, but they all saw him as the baby boy of the group, and they needed to protect him, despite wanting to shot him more than half of the time.  
Barbara was about to add something more when Cara suddenly stood up and walked over to Thorne, who had started to mumble excuses and begging for his life.  
"Please?" Thorne looked up, into Cara's dark eyes. Oswald studied the blond, wondering what she planned. Swiftly she lifted the man, with ease and Oswald understood she used magic to her help, something the others was unaware of. And if the situation had been differently, he may have laughed at their expressions.  
"Pumpkin?" Harley asked as Cara walked towards the window with the man. Soon the window shuttered, due to the force Cara used. The screams echoed through the night and got lower as the man got closer to the street, before they abruptly stopped.  
"Well that's one way" Tabitha said when Cara stepped away from the window. Harley rushed to embrace her, knowing something must have shaken her girlfriend to take such actions. The news they got about Ed was devastated, but it wouldn't make Cara act without reason, no she would have let the others deal with it. Harley didn't ask, and Cara didn't say anything, she just accepted the embracing.  
"That was boring" Barbara complained, even if she was a bit taken by Cara's action, seeing her as a woman of words more than actions, at least that kind of actions. But the woman didn't seem to be taken by the fact that she had just killed a man, telling her that she had done it before.

"What now boss?" Butch asked, before Barbara started a rampage.  
"Find Desmond!" Oswald ordered. He was unaware of who the man was, but he wanted him found, and killed for allowing something like this happening to his Ed. The others in the room left as soon as they could.  
"Want me to look for him too?" Harley asked, looking at both of them.  
"No, I want you to accomplice me to the Foxglove, I am going to have a talk with Donna, or someone who can point me in her direction"  
"Can you get in there?" Harley asked.  
"I have a standing invitation" Cara explained, looking at Oswald. "Want to accomplish us?"  
"I wouldn't deny an offer like that" Oswald met her eyes with a cold smile.


	4. You are some smart cookie, mister

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow,my deepest apology, it has taken longer than I thought to write this chapter. But here it is, at last. And I am kind of happy with it. For most parts. 
> 
> And I am trying not to make Cara use to much magic, because she is OP as fuck with it in this world, but sometimes I just love using it. Because is she had magic, everything would be over so fast. So even if it would be the logical I will not do that, so let's pretend there is a reason that she can't use it all the time, so you can enjoy the story. 
> 
> Hm Darken Rahl are as always from Sword of Truth, just as the Mord Sith clothes are. And I know the man gave up fast, but well I didn't wish to drag the scene out for to long, and also let's face it using agiel hurts as hell. And I know that a person need to have magic to be able to feel it, but let's say just as it is in the books, everyone has a tiny part magic in them, one they can't use. My story, my rules ;)
> 
> The Noonan's bar are a real bar in the comics, so I just used it here because I needed a place that wasn't Mooney's, the Sirenes or Iceberg lounge.
> 
> And you will get more stories from the past later on. And you will get it out of mostly Cara's and Ed's perspective, even if Harley tells it, mostly because I felt like it was more important.
> 
> And um well guess it was all, or well I can also tell you that the Cluemaster and Stallion are real villains from the comics, I will just change them and use them as I want.
> 
> So that's all. I hope I can update soon but I don't promise anything.
> 
> Enjoy and thanks for reading!

* * *

 

"Invitation" the voice behind the mask sounded bored as Cara handed over the white letter. The person opened the letter, reading it, before she watched them. "You are…"  
"Not here for questions" Cara answered and the woman behind the mask smirked, a smiled Harley didn't like, and she placed a protective arm around the other blonde. Cara only placed a gentle hand up on hers, calming her.  
"You are free to enter" the unfamiliar voice said, none of them cared about her as they entered the room.  
"Wow" Harley took a glass as someone passed, watching the room.  
"Freaks" Oswald almost looked disgusted at the people, making Harley giggle.  
"Oh come on Pengy, you never wanted to try some of this things with Ed?"  
For a second Harley thought she saw Oswald blush, before he turned towards her with an angry look.  
"Don't be ridicules" he answered and Harley turned towards Cara instead, with a smile on her face.  
"And you? You want to try some of the things?" she whispered in Cara's ear, before she bit her earlobe, making her turn towards her. Harley expected her to look excited, maybe mischievous, however Harley saw an empty, almost cold look.  
"No" was the only answer she received. Harley was unsure of the reason behind Cara's reactions, but it was clear that she had said something wrong.  
"Oh Pumpkin I am sorry" she pulled her into a hug, soon feeling Cara's arms around her as well. Harley met Oswald's eyes, giving him a wondering look, however he didn't seem to know more than she did.  
"Let's find Donna" Cara took a step back, and she looked as collected as before, just as someone screamed from another room.  
"If Ed's here, I am going to kill them" Oswald whispered, just as Cara took his hand.  
"Just say the word" Harley smiled towards them both, almost longing for a chance to hurt someone.  
"Let's search for her, discreetly" Oswald gave Harley a determine look, only to be met with a bright smile as she almost ran off. "If she results in Ed's death…"  
"She won't" Cara answered him as she went in another direction, leaving him alone with the obscure scenes happening around him.

* * *

 

"She's claimed" Harley placed herself in Cara's lap, and she soon felt how Cara's hands were placed around her.  
"Come on, let's switch!" the man pointed towards a woman who waved, clearly knowing the man.  
"Not a chance" Harley didn't find the other woman attractive at all. If she was honest, she found few women attractive, and none of them more beautiful than Cara.  
"Are you thinking that my wife is ugly?" the man stood up, in a very threating way and Harley grabbed a glass, broke it, leaving only a sharp edge and aimed at the man.  
"Easy" Cara took her hand, whispering in her ear "Not here"  
The man's eyes showed horror as he almost climbed over the table to get away from her, being more word than actions.  
"Later?" Harley asked, turning towards Cara who only nodded, and Harley threw herself in her arms once more. She tried to be good, and not kill as much as she had done when she followed the Joker, mostly by his orders, but sometimes she couldn't hinder herself, and when Cara only smiled towards her, supporting her, she couldn't help to feel joy.  
"Have you finished playing?" Oswald walked over and Harley smiled.  
"You would have done the same if it was Ed" Harley pointed out, and she could tell that the man almost answered her no, but realising he would, he chose not to answer her.  
"I have found Donna" he said instead and Harley couldn't help by clap her hands, smiling as she did.

* * *

 

They slowly sat down, opposite of an middle age woman, wearing a mask.  
"What gives me the honour, meeting both The King of Batman, and Harley Quinn" she started before she turned towards Cara "And miss Riddle"  
"Where is Edward?" Oswald had no desire to be either polite or play games. The woman only sipped her drink, smirking at them.  
"Who is Edward?" she asked, and without the smirk and the information they have received before, Oswald could have believed her, almost.  
"Oh not wise Lady" Harley leaned forward, only to be stopped by him.  
"We don't have time to play" Oswald told the blonde, not wishing for her to go crazy, as he was aware of that she could. Harley sat down, shrugging her shoulders. "So with that out of the way, can you please inform me of where Edward is?"  
"Wherever Mr Desmond placed him" she smirked once more and Oswald regretted, if only for a second, that he had hindered Harley.  
"Let me rephrase my question, where could Mr Desmond have placed him?"  
"Don't know, didn't ask either, why should I? I have already gotten my money" Donna answered.  
"What did he pay you for?" Harley asked and seeing the woman's smile, Oswald knew it wasn't a answer that would please him.  
"Look where you are, what did you think I thought him?" she asked, laughing. "Despite being a bit thin, that man has a body, and face that sells well"  
The laugh echoed through the room, as Oswald was filled with rage. He was far from pleased when he heard that Ed was kidnapped because of his mind, but he could understand that, using him as a whore, he couldn't understand, why would someone do that.  
"Seeing your face is priceless" Donna leaned forward, meeting his eyes. "You don't remember me, do you?"  
The question was rhetorical, as she soon continued talking.  
"See it as payback because you got Fish killed" Despite knowing that he wasn't to blame for Fish death, or that the woman wouldn't listen to reason, Oswald was on the brink to answer her that he wasn't to blame, when her laughter stopped, only to be replaced by a shocked face, which soon turned into pain. Oswald followed the woman's hands as they wondered over her own body, getting bloody. The woman's torso was cut open, spilling out blood and Oswald turned towards Cara, she was sitting relaxed next to him, red eyes as she moved her hand.  
"Pumpkin?" Harley interrupted, making the blonde turn towards both of them, smiling a cold smile, standing up.  
"Stay close" she informed them, creating a sphere around them. Oswald stood up, close to the blonde. He was unsure of her plan, but trusting that she knew what she did, and refusing to obey would most likely lead to his death, in some way. Harley stood next to him, excitement and curiosity showing in her face. As Donna's body sank to the floor, in a puddle of her own blood, the first flames left the magicians hands. Oswald watched as the room caught fire, and despite knowing that being that close to a fire, he should feel extended heat, and having problem breathing, he fell none of it, understanding that the sphere Cara created, protected them from the fire. Harley clapped her hands, laughing and Oswald couldn't hinder himself from smiling as well.  
"Would it be too much to ask, if you are willing to set the rest to fire as well?" Oswald asked. He was unsure of the level of power that was required, to do something like that.  
"Not at all" Cara smiled another cold smile as they left the room, to wander through the rest of the building.

* * *

 

"That was amazing Pumpkin" Harley hugged the blonde from behind, as they watched the fire from a safe distance. She wasn't even mad that she didn't get to kill the man from before.  
"You powers are outstanding" Oswald complimented her and Cara smiled towards them both, this time a warm smile.  
"Well thank you" she bowed as she turned towards the building. "Before Harvey and Jim seeks us out, I suggest we remove ourselves"  
They turned towards the car who just had arrived with the said detectives, nodding.  
"Can it be traced back to us?" Oswald was unaware if magic left any trace for the police to find.  
"No, magic leave no trace for you unmagical people to find. And if the ministry of magic would investigate, I will be able to handle them, one way or another" Cara informed them.  
"If they come, I will defend you" Harley hugged the blonde, who only laughed a warm one.  
"They don't stand a chance"

* * *

 

"Did you find him?" Oswald was inches from hitting Ivy as she more or less jumped them as soon as they entered the club.  
"How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?" he asked in an irritated voice, only to have Ivy smiling towards him.  
"Did you?"  
"If they had, don't you think he would be with them?" Cat asked sarcastically.  
"What happened? Why did you set the place on fire" Barbara asked, pointing at the burning building in the distance.  
"Oh, Donna said they used Eddie as a whore, so Cara set the building on fire, after killing her" Harley smiled as she uttered the words, making the other turn towards Cara.  
"She did what?" Tabitha sounded displeased. "How long will it be until the police gets here?"  
"Enough!" Oswald walked past them all, towards his usual table. "Have you found Desmond?"  
The others fell into silence, neither of them wished to be the one informing Oswald that they hadn't found him, but no words were needed for him to understand.  
"Then why are you all here?" he shouted "Found him!"  
The others almost rushed towards the doors, not wishing to anger Oswald more, especially not when he had Cara at his side.

* * *

 

"What do you want?" Oswald turned towards Harvey and Jim as they entered the room.  
"Someone is in a bad mood, shall I guess you haven't found Ed" Harvey taunted only to get stopped by Jim.  
"You want a drink?" Harley asked as she jumped over to the bar, only to earn herself a distrusting look from the detectives.  
"I can take one love"  
"Coming up Pumpkin. How about you Oswald?" Harley asked, resulting in Oswald only waving her off, not listening to what she said.  
"What can I help you with?" Oswald asked, a bit more polite than the first time.  
"Cut the bullshit Oswald, we know you set the Foxgloves on fire" Jim stated.  
"And I thought you would keep him under control" Harvey turned towards Cara who accepted the drink Harley offered her.  
"I have kept him under control Bullock, he hasn't set fire to a building" Cara calmly answered, even flashing them both a smile.  
"I am hurt, that you gentlemen think that low of me" Oswald pretended to be hurt.  
"Well excuse me your highness!" Harvey asked sarcastically "However; who else would set the building on fire? As far as I know, you are the only one turning the city upside down to find your freaky boyfriend"  
"Who else? Hm let me think" Oswald pretended to think "Oh its Gotham, everyone could do it. People don't need a reason to be crazy here"  
"Nothing happens in town without your knowledge, or order" Jim stated when both Oswald and Cara laughed.  
"I would say it's flattering that they think so highly of you Oswald"  
"During another situation, I may have thought so" he answered turning towards the men again. "But for your information, I don't control people's actions. But I will send out some men to see if I can gather some information for you, as a favour"  
"No need for our sake" Harvey answered "If you want to do us a favour, stay dead next time someone tries to kill you"  
With those words he left the club, soon followed by Jim.  
"Always a pleasure" Harley shouted, waving. "Worried Pumpkin?"  
Cara met Harley eyes where she had placed herself in her lap.  
"Far from it, rather bored if anything. However I apologise if I caused you any inconvenience Oswald"  
"You did no such thing. I rather found it amusing, see them try. However if you excuse me, I will try to get some rest before the other returns"  
"Let me know if you wish for a potions to help you sleep" Oswald nodded as a response before Harley swop Cara into her arms.  
"You should get some rest as well"

* * *

 

Glass was shattered as the bullet from Oswald's gun hit the lamp.  
"Useless, all of you!" he fired off his gun once more, making them take cover behind the bar.  
"Eyh what's going on?" Harley looked around the room, she had woken up by the sound of gunfire.  
"He is crazy!" Ivy almost rushed towards her, to her surprise, but as the redhead rushed past her, Harley saw that Cara had followed her and the other woman sought the blonde's protection.  
"Oswald" Cara walked towards the man and Harley looked at the others, who looked far from pleased. She understood them all. Oswald's reaction wasn't unusual, a bit extreme maybe, but not unusual when a loved one was missing. And the others reactions weren't unusual either.  
"How about we leave them to it?" Harley suggested. The others was wary around her, and she felt the same, but she knew that Cara was the only one that could deal with Oswald at the moment, and the others present would only make it worse.  
"I am with her!" Ivy stated, now seeking protection behind her.  
"Lead the way blondie" Barbara flashed her a smile and Harley smiled back, even if Barbara's hadn't been friendly.  
"Then let's eat"

* * *

 

Oswald looked up from his drink when the door burst open, followed by a man being thrown at the floor by Butch.  
"Is this him?" Oswald rose to his feet, walking towards the man.  
"No" Barbara smiled as she walked towards the man, grabbing him by his hair, forcing him to stand up. "But he is a friend of him"  
"Who is he?"  
"Lester Buchinsky, more known as the Electrocution" Harley smiled as she walked over and sat down next to Cara, who had looked up from her drink.  
"I would say that's the solution to the riddle" Oswald turned towards her, eyes getting darker as he understood that the man on the floor had kidnapped Ed.  
"How did you find him?"  
"It was Harley's idea. She said we should try to find someone close to Desmond, informing us that they often found the Joker through her. Finding someone like that was easy, using my perfume" Ivy smiled.  
"Well has he said something?" Oswald asked impatiently.  
"He was passed out most of the way here, since someone" Barbara looked at Butch "Knocked him dead"  
"Let's change that!" Oswald smiled coldly.

* * *

 

Oswald felt tired and irritated, the man hadn't said anything, despite their methods, not even Ivy's perfume worked. And if the man hadn't been their only lead to where they could find Ed, he had killed him already.  
"Maybe we can…" Barbara started, trying to think of something new when Cara sighed, making Oswald turned towards her.  
"I can take it from here" he saw how she stood up, and how her clothing changed to a red leather costume, and she braided her hair.  
"Wow Pumpkin, you look hot" Harley stated and Cara smiled, but didn't responded as she walked towards Lester.  
"This is very simple Lester, you are going to answer my questions, and when you do I want you to address me as mistress Cara, understood?" she asked.  
"As I would ever do that" the man spit her in the face, almost making Harley rush forward, but Oswald hindered her. He was unsure of what Cara was doing, but he was willing to give her a chance, and he didn't wish to have it ruin by Harley.  
"Why do they always has to be so stubborn, and here I was nice and all" she pretended to be hurt. "You are new to this, and against better judgment, I will give you another chance"  
She looked the man in the eyes, where he was standing.  
"You see this" Cara held showed the man something, and to Oswald it looked like thin rod. "This is simple, you answer me, or I use this"  
The man started laughing, looking at it, and Oswald understood him, compared to the treatment they had given him, the rod didn't seem to be able to inflict much pain, but seeing Cara's actions, he understood that it was more to it.  
"I warned you" she said as she placed the rod over the man's ribs, resulting in the man screaming, and when Cara removed it he was breathing heavy. "So ready to talk, or are you going to give me a headache first?"  
"Go to hell!" the man shouted.  
"Want to go together?" she whispered as she placed the rod in the man's ear, resulting in him screaming once more, but soon to be followed by silence.  
"You killed him!" Barbara shouted, upset by the fact.  
"Oh relax, I know what I am doing" Cara gave her a cold look, as she turned towards the man, placed her lips on his, and gave him mouth to mouth, and soon the man was breathing once more. "Enjoying hell?"  
The man seemed conflicted at first, as he couldn't remember what happened, before he met Cara's eyes, and fear was shown in his own.  
"You wish to talk to me now?" she asked but the man hesitated and Cara placed the rod on his ribs once more, and soon they all heard the sound of bones cracking, and when the man stopped screaming he looked at her.  
"I am ready to talk mistress Cara"  
"Splendid, only wish you had done so before I got a headache"  
"I am sorry mistress Cara" he answered but she just ignored it.  
"Where is Ed?"  
"I am not sure, Desmond moves him around, mistress" he covered his head when she turned towards him.  
"To which locations?" the man seemed to think about it before he named clubs and private gatherings all over town. "Where was he last seen?"  
"I haven't seen him since Desmond sent him to Donna, mistress"  
"Where is Desmond?"  
"He has a safe house's all over town, I don't know where they are, I am sorry mistress Cara" the man had crawled over to her, but she just shoved him away with her feet.  
"Why dose Desmond use Ed as a whore?"  
"When we took him, he hit his head, making him forget who he was. He just rumbles a lot of things, laughs and screams, he had lost it. So Desmond couldn't sell him, at first he gave him drugs to make him calm, hoping he would be himself so he could sell him. When that didn't work, he thought that scaring him may do the trick, using Scarecrows drugs, it made it worst. It made him more crazy than the Joker, making him very unpredictable. So Desmond gave him something else, fooling him that his family are searching for him, wishing to hurt him. Desmond also fooled him that he is a simple whore and that Desmond can protect him. He and the man having him laughs at it" Lester explained and when Cara looked at him he soon added "Mistress"  
"Who sought to buy him?"  
"Either people who wished to use him to get to the top as she did" he pointed at Barbara who only shrugged her shoulders, leaving the past in the past "Or people who sought revenge on Penguin, mistress"  
"You have any names?"  
"No, Desmond never told us, mistress"  
"Who else is involved?" she asked and at that question Lester hesitated until Cara pointed the rod at him.  
"Stallion and Cluemaster, mistress" Cara looked at the other, wondering if they knew who they was, but none of them did.  
"What do you wish to do with him?" Oswald looked at the man, knowing what he wanted to do, kill him, however he could still be useful.  
"Lock him up" he looked at Butch who nodded, taking the man away.

"Impressive" Barbara stated as Cara walked over to the bar, making herself a drink.  
"Who thought you Lady?" Cat asked.  
"I wish to know where you learned to do that, and how?" Tabitha asked.  
"Master Rahl thought me, at his palace in D'Hara, and how? By doing to me what I did to him, just worse" she walked over to the table sitting down, and Harley soon placed herself in her lap.  
"Hug" she said as she gave the other blonde a hug and Cara hugged her back. Harley knew so little about Cara's past, and she never asked, feeling that the blonde didn't wish to speak about it, just as she herself didn't. They both shared if and when they felt like it, but they felt like the past didn't matter, and it didn't define them.  
"What is this?" Ivy asked looking at the rod.  
"Don't touch it, it will cause you pain" she looked at the young girl who removed her hand. "It's created by old magic, just leave it at that"  
"Thank you" Oswald took her hand and she smiled towards him.  
"Anytime" she took a sip from her drink as she changed back to her normal clothes.  
"So what now?" Ivy asked, all of them looking at Oswald.  
"We need to locate Ed" he was about to ask for a map when Cara placed one on the table, with the location's already marked. Oswald nodded in thanks and she just smiled.  
"If you find him, don't try to take him with you, inform us" Cara stated before Oswald could add something. "If he is as scared as Lester stated, grabbing him, will only make it worse"  
"Oh, that wouldn't be good" Ivy agreed, however no one answered her.  
"Find him, and report back to me" Oswald said, knowing his men needed no more instructions than that. They all knew how important this was to him, and that doing something resolving in Ed's death or disappearing once more, would most likely end in their death. He let them group as they pleased, knowing they worked best that way. Despite everything that accord over the years, with betrays and how it was impossible to trust each other, it was behind them. All of them had realised that they benefited from working together, and it pleased Oswald, knowing that he didn't need to worry about being backstabbed as well, remembering all those times all too well, and his body had the scars to prove it.

"Oswald?" Cara asked and he turned towards her, he had been lost in thoughts, without noticing it.  
"I apologise, I got lost in thoughts"  
"Let me know if you wish to share" she offered and he thought about it, he saw no problem I telling her, it was rather that the other blonde was here. Despite he knew she was loyal towards Cara, meaning she wouldn't use what he told Cara against him, most likely, he wasn't willing to risk it, remaining silent, and none of them women pressed him.  
"Wish to hear a story?" Harley asked, smiling, hoping to make him feel better, to his surprise. Cara giggled, over Harley's statement, learning to roll with Harley's ways.  
"I would be honoured to hear a story" Oswald answered and Harley seemed to think about it, and which story to tell before she lit up.  
"Have I ever told you the story about how I met Cara and Ed?" she asked and he shook his head and she seemed even more pleased.  
"Then let's tell it!"

* * *

 

_Cara was sitting at Noonan's bar, a drink in hand, playing with her fingers against the glass.  
"Enough with the riddle" Lisa, the bartender said, and Cara looked up.  
"It's driving me crazy, I can't figure it out" she admitted._ _  
_ _"Why bother? Doesn't he get happy when someone can't solve his riddles?"_ _  
_ _"That he does." Cara admitted, knowing that Ed loved when only he knew the answer. "But I am not as found of it"_ _  
_ _"You need to win?" Lisa teased before she walked off, to a customer who were calling for her. Cara could picture Ed's smiling face, and she did love seeing him smile, and when it came to anything else, she had no problem with him being smarter than her. But when it came to riddles, she wanted to beat him, wanted to show him that she could figure them out. So now when she was stuck, it made her frustrated. And the bar wasn't the place for her to be when she was frustrated, she couldn't concentrate, but she wasn't really trying either. She had gone there for a distraction, but nothing fun had come up, so ones again her mind was back at the riddle. But with the people talking around her, and a woman sobbing next to her, she couldn't think._

" _Can you be quiet?" she asked the blond woman, who looked up at her. Cara studied her, the woman was around her age, had the blond hair in two tassels, make up was a mess, and Cara could see old bruises on her skin. But if Cara was honest, the woman looked good, even when she was a mess.  
"He ruined my life!" the woman said, and Cara gave her a bored look, another woman, crying over a male. "He ruined me! Look at me"_ _  
__Cara did look at her, but she wasn't sure what she meant, besides the bruises, she didn't looked destroyed.  
"He…Leave me alone!" she suddenly shouted, throwing her glass to her side. Cara looked there, but no one was there. Cara raised an eyebrow, that was more interesting. _ _  
__"When I find him, I will kill him!" the woman suddenly shouted. "Or give him a kiss"_ _  
__"Oh honey, why don't I help you kill him?" a man shouted from the other side the counter. "If you sit on my lap"_ _  
__The woman next to Cara grabbed a bottle and threw it at the man's direction._ _  
__"Fuck" Lisa said and Cara looked at the black haired woman._ _  
__"Who is she?" Cara asked, as the woman next to her was on her way up on the counter._ _  
__"She was a doctor at Arkham, Harleen something." Lisa said. "Last I heard was that she was with that psycho, the Joker"_ _  
__"Do not say his name!" the blond woman suddenly shouted towards the woman, and Cara smiled, ones again the club hadn't been boring.  
"Hey lady" Cara said, making the woman next to her turning towards her. "How about I buy you a drink?"_ _  
__"That sounds fun" she answered, sitting down again, and Cara laughed, this woman was clearly very unstable, but she didn't made her bored._ _  
__"So what are we drinking?" Cara asked._ _  
__"Anything" the blond answered and Cara ordered two drinks before she smiled.  
"Cara Riddle" she told her and raised her glass._ _  
__"Harley Quinn" the other one said, as their glasses touched, in a low sound._

* * *

 

_Cara was sitting on the couch, eating breakfast, as she was watching the news, preferring to stay updated to on what happened in Gotham.  
"Good morning" Harley suddenly said as she jumped down, next to her, hands sneaking around her waist. _ _  
_ _"Good morning" Cara said with a small laugh as Harley kissed her cheek. Cara hadn't planned on taking Harley home last night. But the woman was surprisingly easy to talk to, and her craziness was a breeze of fresh air, in her life. Cara couldn't remember ever meeting anyone that was as crazy as Harley.  
"You surely know how to please a woman" Harley purred in her ear, nibbling her earlobe._ _  
_ _"Wasn't my first time" Cara told her as she turned to face the blonde one next to her, placing a light kiss on her soft lips, before she turned towards the TV ones more.  
"What are we watching?" Harley wondered._ _  
_ _"The news" Cara said with a smile, and turned up the volume._

" _We are standing outside the station on Market street." The reporter started. "The building has been evacuated, the police are fearing that it's a bomb inside. And after the bomb at the art gallery this morning, they aren't taken any chances."_ _  
__Cara looked at the reporter on TV, wondering if they had a bomber in town, something she hoped not. She knew since her time at FBI, that serial bombers operandi is reminiscent of terrorism. That the pathology of this type of criminal varies, and no bomber had the same exact motive as no other. Their motive could be anything, from religious, sadistic, political, financial or even some sort of moral code. The only thing they had in common was the goal of take out as many people as possible at once. If they had a bomber in town, you never knew what their next target would be, and nowhere would be safe.  
"We have a close source to the investigation, that tells us that the bomb man has left a questioning mark at the museum, and at the station. The police are trying…" the reporter stopped when an explosion suddenly occurred. _ _  
__"Wow, this dude has balls" Harley said, clapping her hands next to her.  
"That he does" Cara said, feeling relived that it wasn't a random bomber, targeting the town._ _  
__"What's this?" Harley said, as she leaned forward, over Cara to take a look at the riddle she had placed on the table._ _  
__"It's a riddle" Cara told her, looking at Harley, who crawled back, only to place her head in Cara's lap._ _  
__"What's the answer?" Harley asked and Cara looked into her blue eyes.  
"That I don't know, I am trying to figure it out"_ _  
__"How can you not know the answer to your own riddle?" Harley asked, with a confused look._ _  
__"It's not my riddle. It's from the guy with the bombs" Cara informed her, and Harley turned her head to face the TV for a second, before she looked at Cara again._ _  
__"He sounds like an interesting person" Harley said and looked closer at the paper. "Let's solve his riddle"_ _  
__"Let's do that" Cara said as she started to play with Harley's hair._

* * *

 

" _Come in" Cara said as she opened the door, and Ed almost rushed in, excited to tell her about the news, thrilled even. Or maybe it was pried he felt, and he wanted to inform her that despite, her not believing in his plan, he succeeded.  
"I can inform you, that from 7 a clock this morning, Jim Gordon, has been placed under arrest" Edward said as he took of his coat, and walked into the living room, but he haltered in his step, to find another woman sitting on the couch. "Who is she?"_ _  
__Edward turned towards Cara, who had walked up next to him._ _  
__"This is Harley Quinn, she saw you actions on TV, and wanted to meet you" Cara informed him. "Harley, this is my friend, Edward Nygma"_ _  
__Edward looked at the blond woman next to him, before he turned to face the other blonde woman in the room. He had heard rumours about Harley Quinn. The woman who had been a doctor at Arkham, before she fell in love with the Joker, of all people. After that the story was far from pretty. That was why love never should be the motivation to your actions, or in control. Ed had learned that himself.  
"Nice to meet you" Edward said to Harley, who grabbed his hand and shook it violently, while she was laughing. _ _  
__"Harley" Cara said and Harley let go of his hand. Edward adjusted his glasses, who was on the brink of leaving his nose, do to Harley. "She is special"_ _  
__Edward gave Cara a look, that was by far the most underwhelming description he had ever heard._ _  
__"Mr, you got style. And so simple, just bombs, and a question mark! No laughter, no painted faces, no smiles, no circuses" Harley said, almost dreamingly. The referents to the Joker's actions was quite clear, and compared to him, Ed kept it simple looking. He preferred to let his puzzles do the talking, instead of arranging a stage._ _  
__"How about some food, and you can tell us all about Gordon's arrest" Cara said with a smile, and Edward nodded, very eager to tell her._

* * *

 

" _So you killed this Pink guy, and framed Gordon?" Harley asked and Edward nodded, almost a bit irritated over the fact that was just what he had said. "That's ingenious, you are some smart cookie, mister"_ _  
__"That he is" Cara said with a smile, looking at him, and Edward smiled, a bit shy. He was still very unused to all the praise she gave him, but what stunned him was that she seemed to be genuine when she did. Normally people only praised him ironical, if ever. The only other person who really praised him, like Cara did, was Oswald. However Ed hadn't seen him in awhile, and he was unsure of his whereabouts._ _  
__"I apologise for ever doubting your plan Ed" Cara told him, and he gave her a surprised look._ _  
__"That quite right" he said in a low voice, just as unused to apologises as compliments._ _  
__"I was worried for you, but I should have supported you more" Cara said._ _  
__"_ _It may only be given, Not taken or bought. What the sinner desires, But the saint does not. What am I?" Edward asked._ _  
__"Forgivness"_ _Cara said, once again smiling towards him.  
"That is correct, and I forgive you miss Riddle" Edward said and smiled back._ _  
__"Aww this is so sweet" Harley said and both of them looked at her. "You are such a good friend. I wish I had a friend like that"_ _  
__"Friendship is build one talk at a time, Harley. And you are talking to us now" Cara said, which resulted in Harley kissing her cheek, much to Edward's surprise. Harley sudden actions was illogical to him, but since she was mentally ill, that was logical._ _  
__"How about some drinks to celebrate?" Harley asked as she rushed from the table._ _  
__"She grows on you" Cara expressed with a laugh as she walked after the other woman. Edward were sitting still at the table._ _  
__"Enjoy yourself. This is your day!" the voice in his head told him, and Edward raised and walked after the other two._

* * *

 

" _Here" Edward heard a calm voice next to him, and he slowly opened his eyes, to see Cara put a glass of something on the table. Looking disorientated for a moment, before he realised he was still in Cara's apartment. The sun had raised a few hours ago, something he hadn't been prepared for. Normally he left early, never seeing Cara in the morning, and this situation didn't make him comfortable. He couldn't pinpoint why it made him feel that way, but it was something that didn't feel right. Slowly he sat up, getting the feeling that the room were moving. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he drank this much, but somehow Harley had convinced him, almost in a scary way. And if Cara hadn't stepped in, Ed didn't want to know what would have happened._ _  
__"How do Bullock get up in the morning?" he asked himself, which made Cara giggle, and he looked at her, as she walked out from the kitchen, wearing pyjamas. Something that made him turn away, he had only seen her dressed up, and seeing her like that, didn't feel quite right._ _  
__"Drink and you will feel better" Cara pointed at the glass on the table. Edward looked at the green liquid, lifting it up to his nose, sniffing it, which made Cara giggle ones more, and Ed felt stupid over his behaviour. "It will help you, trust me"_ _  
__"What is it?" he tried to look at it, in hope of finding an answer.  
"A magician never reveal her secrets" Cara informed him secretive. Her tone made Ed look at her, it was something with it that felt unfamiliar, as the woman next to him were a stranger. Technically the fact should tell him that they were stranger, they have merely known each other a few months, but he didn't saw her as a stranger. He felt like she knew him better than most, chairing that position with Oswald. Which to be fair was even more a stranger, but both of them had found a way into his life, and he valued them very high.  
"Will it hurt me?" Ed asked, without thinking, looking at Cara, who almost looked hurt at those words._ _  
__"No Ed, it will not hurt you." She had a calm voice, and Edward nodded as he slowly put the glass to his lips. As the liquid flowed down his throat, he felt the taste of melon, and as if magic existed, he felt the room stop spinning and his headache lifted. He turned towards Cara who only smiled, as she took a toast from the tray she had put on the table, and sat down on the couch he had been sleeping on.  
"Thank you" Edward was sincerely grateful towards her._ _  
__"What are friends for" she said and offered him a toast, which he took_

_"Where is Harley?" he asked, not wanting the other woman to jump him, or what other craziness she could manage to do.  
"She is still sleeping" at those words Ed nodded, feeling revealed. Harley had to his surprise been fairly easy to spend some time with, but he was far from as pleased with her craziness as Cara seemed to be.  
"Thank god" he said before he looked apologising at Cara, who only smiled. For some reason it seemed like she often did that towards him, without what he found a real reason._ _  
_ _"No reason for that look, she can be a handful" Cara said as she started to eat. "But nothing is boring around her. Yesterday, before you entered, she tried to threw me of the balcony"_ _  
_ _"You seem to take that with ease"_ _  
_ _"I said tried! She didn't have much luck, so no real reason so be angry" Edward wasn't sure he could understand that reasoning, over how easy Cara took it, even if the woman hadn't succeeded, she had tried to kill her. It was a fair assumption that Cara may not be able to kill Harley without some planning, but to still let her stay in the apartment, close to her. Though it was fare from the first time Edward got the feeling that Cara took things very easy, almost like nothing could worry her.  
"Don't worry Ed, I have no problem getting rid of her, if she over step the line" Cara informed him, after his puzzled look. Edward was curious where the line was, and if he ever would overstep it. "Don't try to find it"_ _  
_ _"May I ask what would happen if I did?" Edward looked at her with a curious spark in his eyes, always wanting to have the answer._ _  
_ _"Let's just say that you will not be able to overstep the line twice" Cara smiled towards him, and Edward was far from pleased with that answer, seeing that it wasn't an answer._ _  
_ _"So you would kill me?" he asked and Cara picked up her teacup._ _  
_ _"That, or something worse. Me myself find death so easy, and boring" That sparked his interest even more, he so far had done very little experience with his victims. But Cara sounded like she had done more, far more._ _  
_ _"If I found someone who is worth the time, I will show you" she said with an easy smile, and Edward nodded, almost wondering if he could do a plan for them to find someone worthy of her time. "May I know what I will get for birthday this year?"_ _  
_ _"Maybe" Edward answered with a smile on his face, as he started to eat on his toast._

* * *

 

" _Oh I missed him? I wanted to say goodbye" Harley complained as she jumped down in the couch._ _  
__"He will be back, don't you worry" Cara informed her, and Harley nodded, happy to hear that information._ _  
__"So what are we going to do today?"  
"I am going on a fundraising" Cara only said._ _  
__"Can I come?" Harley asked, to which Cara turned to face her._ _  
__"You are on the run, and I prefer not to see you get arrested" that was far from the truth, if Harley got arrested, she wouldn't think twice about it. But if she showed up with Harley, her façade would get blown, and she could no longer pretend to be an upright citizen.  
"Pretty please?" _ _  
__"How about I go to the fundraising, only stay for a short time, and then we go to the Mooney's for some drinks?" Cara tried and Harley thought about it, before she nodded.  
"I can agree on that" she said and Cara kissed her cheek, as a thank you. "You are going to need to do better than that"_ _  
__"I am sure I can do that" Cara said as she grabbed Harleys wrists and hold her down on the couch, before she sealed her lips._

* * *

 

Oswald actually smiled when Harley stopped talking, remembering how Ed was back then, when they first met. The naïve and hopeful man, not knowing how life in the criminal world worked, thinking he could outsmart them all. And if Oswald was honest, Ed could do that, now when he knew how things worked. But back than he was still unsure about how things worked, and Oswald had yet to show him. He was unaware that Edward had Cara at his side, he hadn't mentioned her at the time. But hearing Harley's story, he understood that her and Edward was close already. He looked at the blonde, to be honest he didn't know how the two come to meet each other, at the time he wasn't close with Cara being unable to ask her, and when he had asked Edward, he hadn't been willing to answer him after Cara left.  
"Who would have thought encountered each other at Noonan's" Oswald looked at them.  
"Yes, sometimes you are just lucky" Harley almost purred into Cara's ears, who smiled. "Are you feeling better Pengy?"  
"I do, thank you Harley" he said honestly, earning a smile from both women.  
"How about I make something for us to eat, while we wait for the others to return" Cara stood up, heading towards the kitchen, without waiting for an answer.

* * *

 

"We found him!" Ivy laughed almost rushing in with Cat after her. The other woman looked far from as pleased, most likely because Ivy had dragged her around.  
"Where?" Oswald stood up, resulting in spilling the drinks.  
"Eyh" Harley stated but neither Oswald or Cara payed her any attention.  
"It's a private club in the narrows" Cat answered.  
"A total freaky place, you should have seen the looks they were giving me, creepy" Ivy stated.  
"If you wore something else, than it wouldn't be a problem" Cat gave her a tired look, one Ivy didn't seem to understand.  
"Enough!" Oswald interrupted them, not wishing to hear their argument, turning towards Cara. "We need to bring him home!"  
"We do, but for that we need a plan" Cara stated and Oswald turned towards Ivy and Cat.  
"Call the others" he ordered.  
"As you wish Pengy" Ivy smiled as she took Cat's hand and to call the others. Oswald couldn't stop smiling, he had yet to see Edward, but at least he knew where he was now, and he could feel a bit more hopeful.  
"Let's bring him home" Harley said as she grabbed the map, resulting in the other two beginning to form a plan.


End file.
